Xmen 3: Phoenix rising
by writergirl182003
Summary: Cassandra Ward thought her life was meaningless, all that changed when she was contacted by Charles Xavier, to help them find a lost friend. *Rated M for language and slight lemony goodness* Logan/OC COMPLETED as of 3/30/10 Outtakes coming soon
1. Greetings Cassandra

(AN: This is not the same story that I had up before, I have changed it entirely, and for the better I think..)

Chapter 1

_Wolverine_

_Alkali Lake._

Wolverine sniffed the air for the millionth time it seemed as he circled Alkali Lake for the fifth time. He had never given up on the hope that she had some how survived the dam breaking and going under water He knew it deep down that she was still alive. He could smell her here, but it also wasn't her. Something else was with her… something he didn't like. The cell phone beeped in his coat pocket and he grabbed it. "What?"

"Logan, why are you still out there?" Charles Xavier asked.

"Charles, I know she's out here, I know she survived."  
"If she did she'll come home Logan, besides, I need you to be here for a week or so."

"I'm not babysitting again!"

"Looking after them, and making sure they don't get into trouble isn't babysitting Logan, It's doing me a favor."

"I'm not doing you anymore favors."

"Logan…" Charles' voice took on a more commanding tone.

Logan rolled his eyes, and started back to the bike he had 'borrowed' from Scott. "Fine. But if there's another 'accident' I'm not holding back."

"You call what you did last time to those poor soldiers holding back?"

"They weren't poor Charles. They came there to kidnap us. I'm heading back." He closes the phone and straddles the bike, then looks over his shoulder longingly before taking off.

_Cassandra Ward_

_Sandusky, Ohio._

Cassandra sighed and sat back in her chair in the booth at the county fair. At least she was getting paid for her power. Something she never thought possible. Another customer sat down in the booth, this girl she knew, she graduated high school with her.

"Some profession, Cassandra." The girl says.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Do you want you future read or not?"

"Yeah… sure do your best." She stuck out her hand palm up and waited, smirking.

Cassandra took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She laid two fingers on the other girl's palm and stared directly into her eyes. The girl's face started to blur out, and her eyes emitted an unearthly glow. Then just as slowly as she faded out, a picture, almost like a movie played out before her eyes. After it stopped, Cassandra pulled her hand away and chuckled slightly. "You know Amanda, You should start eating healthier."

"Why?"

"Because you're eating for two."

"WHAT! That's impossible!"

"No it's not you had unprotected sex two weeks ago, and you were supposed to start your period last week. You're a week late aren't you?"

"Well… yeah… how did you know?"

"What does the sign say? I'm a prophet. I'd invest in a pregnancy test if I were you."

"Oh my God!" She bolted to her feet and rushed out of the tent screaming, "Trevor you moron! I told you we should have used a condom!"

Cassandra giggled slightly and shook her head as three people stepped inside the tent. She looked between all three of them, and said, "I can only read one person at once."

The man in the wheelchair spoke, "Yes, Cassandra, I know."

"How… do you know my name?"

"You aren't the only one with gifts Cassandra." The man's voice said, though she didn't hear it with her ears, she heard it with her mind… how did he do that?

"Wait… what?"

"Your gifts are amazing yes, but you aren't the only one."

The woman with the shock white hair smiled gently, and stepped forward. "Cassandra, I'm Ororo Monroe. I know all of this seems a little weird to you…"  
"A little? What's going on?"

"Well Cassandra, we're here to ask for your help. You see, we know that your power is to see into the past, present and future."

"How?"

The man in the wheelchair spoke again. "My gift allows me to enter a person's mind. I have a certain machine called Cerebro that helped me to find you."

"You can control a person's mind? So if I say no, then you'll make me believe that I said yes?"

"No, you have a very strong will, you'll remember sooner or later what your real answer was."

"Okay so what do you need my help for?" Cassandra cautiously looked between the man and woman, then over at the silent one in the trench coat. "Isn't he hot in that?"

"Very." The man said with a strange accent.

"So take your coat off, stay a while."

"I'd rather not."

"Let me introduce myself." The man in the wheelchair said. "My name is Charles Xavier. We need your help to find a lost comrade of ours. We thought her dead a few months ago, a few have accepted her death. But I can feel her mind."  
"So what you want me to look into the future and se where to find her?"

"There's more to it." Ororo said sitting down. "We need you to go to where she was lost. You'd be bale to sense her better there. To see better there."

"So let me get this straight, you want me to follow a group of strangers into possible danger, just to find this lost friend of yours?"

Charles nodded shortly.

"You're crazy! You're all crazy. I don't know any of you from the next person walking down the street, granted you've got faces… and attributes I wouldn't soon forget, but you've got to realize what you're truly asking of me. I don't know any of you." Cassandra set her arms on the table and looked Charles and Ororo in the eyes, as she couldn't make out customer number three's facial features. "So what are you huh? Mutant hunters? Setting a trap for me or something?"

"Far from it Cassandra."

"Ve are the mutants." The man in the trench coat said pulling back the hood on the coat. He revealed scarred blue skin, and hands with only three fat, blue fingers.

Cassandra drew back in her chair. "This has got to be a dream, this seriously has got to be a dream."

"This is no dream Cassandra." Charles said. "I know you maybe a little frightened, but trust me, we're here to help you, to keep you away from the mutant hunters."

Cassandra swallowed hard. What did she have to lose? Except her apartment? Her Cat… nothing…. She had nothing else, her parents had disowned her once they learned of her mutant ability. So why not go? "Okay. But only on one condition. My cat comes with me."

Charles chuckled. "Of course. If you could give me your address, we'll arrange for a limousine to pick you up, how soon can you be ready to leave?"

"Give me two days." Cassandra smiled and shook Charles' outstretched hand. She was in for a long and bumpy ride. Something about this man told her that she wouldn't just be looking for their lost friend, but an enemy, and a lost acquaintance.


	2. Xavier Institute

Chapter 2

Cassandra gave the limo driver a grateful smile as he led her to the airport terminal. "Thank you again for seeing me in here, I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem miss. Will you require anything else?"

"No thank you." She smiled again as her plane number was called. "I guess that's me."

"You know miss, Charles could have taken you in his jet."

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that? I'll get to ride in it plenty of times in the years to come. I've never flown on a plane before, it'll be a good experience for me."

The driver chuckled. "If you say so."

"I do. I should go, thank you again."

He nodded. "Of course, have a safe flight."

"I will!" She called over her shoulder as she waved to him. She gave the attendant her ticket and boarded the plane with her small carry on, and sat in the seat closest to the window. She pulled out her book she had been reading and her camera before putting her bag in the console above her head. She relaxed as the plane took off, resting her head against the seat, watching out the window as the ground fell away beneath them, then opened her book.

She read for a half an hour then looked out the window again. Large fluffy clouds surrounded the plane. The kind that little kids look up and wonder if they could be made of marshmallows. The sun shone magnificently over them, and she took out her camera and took a few pictures of the sight, never wanting to forget how they looked right at that moment. (Though her power left little room for forgetting.)

She sighed and thought of the Xavier Institute for gifted youngsters. It sounded so amazing when Charles had been describing it to her. All that she had seen in her visions had taken her breath away. Surely this man must have a hoard of money stashed away in one of the long tunnels or secret passages that were hidden throughout the home. A movie she thought she had never heard of played on the large screen in the front of the cabin. Stewardesses roamed the isles asking if the passengers needed anything from the food or drink cart that were being wheeled past her.

She sent out her vision to the cargo hold of the plane, she could see her black cat, Spooky beneath the plane scared out of his wits, and she longed to go down there and comfort him. She frowned as the thought of the other half hour that it would take to land in Westchester, New York.

_Logan_

_Westchester, New York_

Logan sighed, trapped within a crowd of people at the airport. Charles had sent him to pick the girl up, imprinting an image of her in his mind. He knew instantly that this girl would be trouble for him.

"Flight 180 from Cleveland, Ohio has arrived at gate 23." A woman's voice announced over the PA system.

Logan headed for the gate and waited for the girl to arrive. Ignoring all of the looks single (and some attached) women gave him, he kept his gaze on the door way. Finally he saw her, a bag slung over her shoulder. He headed for her and stepped in her way.

Cassandra blinked rapidly as she found her path blocked. Confused she looked up to face the obstacle. "Excuse me." She said, smiling, and stepped to her right.

Logan moved in front of her. "Cassandra?"

Startled she looked into his eyes. "Do I know you?"

"You will. Come on." He reached for her wrist in an attempt to get the hell out of there.

She used her forearm to knock his hand away, and stepped back out of his reach. "Look I don't' know who you are, but I am _not_ going anywhere with you!"

Logan took a deep breath. "Fine, but good luck finding a free ride to Charles' place." He turned to head for the car.

Cassandra's eyes widened and she ran in front of him. "You're from the Xavier Institute?"

"That's right." He settled back on his heels and crossed his arms.

"I didn't… I mean... I… Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" Her eyes flashed as if a light had been turned on behind them. "I'm Cassandra Ward."

"What did you just do to your eyes?"

She laughed slightly. "My power makes my eyes glow like that." She smiled. "So do you have a name?"

"Logan." He stepped around her and started for the baggage claim.

"Oh, well thanks for being here. I'm sorry I was so rude before."  
"It's okay kid."

"I'm not a kid, I'm twenty years old!" She grabbed two suitcases from the conveyer belt then went to pick up her cat.

"Where ya goin'?" He asked stopping. "Car's this way."

"My cat… I'm not leaving him here!"

"Oh God…" He muttered under his breath.

She handed the clerk her ticket for the animal, and immediately opened the carrier door and petted the wide eyed black cat that had backed himself up into a corner. "It's okay." A tiny mew came from inside. "Shh, it's okay Spook." She smiled gently at the animal and closed the door.

She pulled up the handle on one of the suitcases and secured the carrier to the top of the case with bungee cords. Then she pulled on the other case's handle, and looked at Logan expectantly. "So?"

He rolled his eyes and started for the car. He helped her put her bags in the trunk and she took the carrier to the interior of the car. She pulled the kitten from the box and scratched his ear as he drove away from the curb.

He grinned and said, "You know I'm surprised that thing isn't hissing at me." He said smirking.

"Why?"

"Because of my mutation."

Her eyes glowed again and she smiled. "He should be able to sense the animal in you right?"

"Exactly."

"So what is your mutation?"

Silver knives shot out of his hand. "I can heal." He pulled them back in. "Very quickly."

"That has nothing to do with animals though. You can hear, and smell and see exceptionally well right?"

"Yeah… I guess."

"That made you one hell of a soldier didn't it?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Why are you avoiding so many questions?" She laughed a little then apologized. "I'm usually not so curious, but there's something about you. I feel like you need help. The kind of help that I can give."

"The only help I need kid is from Xavier."

"But he's not giving you any help. I can see into the past Logan. You've lost your memory, I can see those memories."

"Don't. Just don't okay? Things don't come that easily."

"In general or just for you?"

"Cassandra, shut up."

She rolled her eyes, and looked out the window, watching the country side roll by.

_Shadowed Strangers_

_Westchester Airport_

"Is she the one?" A young woman asked.

"The one with the Wolverine?" An older man responded.

"Uh-huh."

"Perhaps. Stick close to them."

"They're going to the institute."

"You have special gifts, You'll find a way."

"You have that much faith in me?"

I wouldn't have saved you otherwise."

"I know Erik. You know I appreciate it."

"I know, now go, report back to me after she falls asleep."

"Right." She kissed the man on the cheek and rushed after the pair. Getting the car she and her companion brought, she raced to catch up with Logan and Cassandra. "They don't call me Lady Deathstrike for nothing." She smirked and pressed the accelerator to the floorboard.

_Cassandra and Logan_

_Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters_

Cassandra dropped her carry on and cat carrier on the floor of her room. Two other beds were present and she plopped down on the remaining unmade mattress. Logan appeared in her doorway, a suitcase in each hand.

"I'd like to know when I became the bellboy."

Cassandra jumped off the bed and grabbed her cases from him. "Thank you for carrying them in for me." She smiled up at him. After making slight small talk in the car, she had figured out that under that gruff exterior lay something she'd like to get to know better.

"Charles'll probably want to talk to ya." His lips turned up slightly giving her a slight smile.

"All right thanks." She put the carrier on her bed and let her cat out. "Stay put!" She said meeting its gaze, her eyes flashed brightly again and the cat lay down putting his head on his paws, purring. She petted him softly, then opened one of her suitcases, and pulled out her pillow, then placed it on the head of the bed. Spook climbed up on the pillow and seemingly fell asleep. "Okay, I don't know where his office is, will you show me?"

"Sure, will it be okay?" He said referring to the cat.

"Yeah, he'll be okay." She left her room, and pulled the door shut behind her.

Logan led her down a long hallway, and down to the first floor, down another long hallway pointing out various classrooms along the way. He stopped at an open door. "Here you are."

"Thank you, Logan."

"You're welcome." He turns to get some practice in the danger room.

Cassandra sighs, and prepares herself for the big grilling.

_6 months earlier, Alkali Lake_

Something pulled itself out of the water. This something was human-like, but it was surrounded in flames. Some of the dead leaves and undergrowth caught flame as it landed sprawled out breathing heavily. Slowly the flames engulfing the creature died out and the form of a red haired woman was visible.

She sat up and brushed the hair out of her eyes. She seemed scared, and very much alive. _They think I'm dead… they… they… who are these people flashing through my mind? The man with the visor, and the one with the silver knives? Who are these women? The dark skinned one with hair pure as snow? Electricity is always crackling around her. Who is the fair skinned one with the sad eyes? _ She put her hand on her forehead. _They'll be looking for me. They feel like they mean a lot to me… but I don't know them. Maybe I can find my way back on my own… _ Large firey wing sprout from her back and the fire engulfs her body yet again as she takes to the skies.


	3. Conflict, and Workouts

Chapter 3

_Cassandra_

_Charles' Office. _

"So Cassandra, tomorrow you will be taking off to Alkali Lake with Storm, Cyclops, and Night crawler." Charles said nodding to each of them.

Cassandra had met Ororo, or as Charles had called her, Storm, and Kurt Wagner, also known as Night Crawler, before, but the tall man with brown hair and a pair of red tinted sun glasses over his eyes she hadn't met before. Obviously he was the one Charles had called Cyclops, and everything about him made her want to comfort him. His shoulders were hunched forward though he sat back in the chair, almost laying in it. His lips were pulled into a perpetual frown, lines were creasing the corners of his mouth, as if that frown hadn't removed its self in months. She swallowed roughly and nodded. "What if I can't find her?"

Charles smiled softly, the genuine action reaching his blue eyes that held a warmth in them unlike any she had ever seen, such acceptance from him was foreign to her, and it attracted her like a moth to a flame, dragging her in and holding on tight. "You will. I have faith in you."

Cyclops sighed, and turned his head to her, though she couldn't tell if he was looking at her or not behind the sun glasses. "Should we put such faith into her, Professor? She's just a child."

"I am not a child! What is it with everyone calling me a child or 'kid'?" Cassandra glared in his direction. She definitely didn't want to comfort him now.

Charles turned that soft smile onto Cyclops. "Trust her, as I do." The soft words weren't a suggestion. It was as if his words were a command spoken by a drill sargent with all the force they held behind it. Cassandra couldn't help but wonder if he were planting the thought in Cyclops' mind at the same time.

_No, Cassandra, I will not take away people's ability to choose. _Charles' voice came into her mind again.

Startled, she pulled back away from the desk. "Please don't do that."

Kurt smiled then and looked away, almost as if he were trying very hard not to laugh. The action was enough to calm her nerves. Dispite the startle, she smiled in reaction to him. "Zee professor likes to do zat I seenk."

His words had such a calming effect to her, and she couldn't help that the smile on her lips had grown into a full on grin. "Probably." She frowned then as a vision clouded into her sight, and she glared down at Cyclops as he leaned forward to get out of his chair. "Don't."

He stoped, startled himself on his way to the door. "What?"

"Don't go alone." She said shaking her head, her long brown hair being shaken over her shoulders from the force. "If you do, you'll die."

His eyebrows drew together, and his forehead furrowed, was he glaring at her? "And how do you know that?"

She raises an eyebrow. Was he slow? Did he not hear Charles telling him before she arrived in the office that she is a clairvoyant? She shakes her head then. "Cyclops, you will get yourself killed. She doesn't know any one of you. She'll recognize your face, maybe, but she won't trust you. The being in her is strong, and it's taking over her actions. I know she's been acting strange since the Liberty Island incident. The presence inside her mind saw that as the perfect oppourtunity to infiltrate her mind. The radiation pulled the enitity into her, it's latched on and it's not letting go. We have to proceed with caution."

Ororo raised an eyebrow herself at the girl as she listened to her trying to talk some sense into the man that was at least fifteen years her senior. She was brave for one thing, standing up to Scott the way she was. Wise as well to see things like that, and advise them to be careful with Jean. She had already wondered that possibility herself, but having the twenty year old confirm it was something she could barely latch onto.

"It's my choice isn't it?" Scott looked back and forth between Charles and Cassandra.

Charles nodded. "Yes it is, but it would be in your best interest to listen to Cassandra, Scott."

His hand fell away from the door knob for a long moment. He took a deep breath then nodded. "Fine. First thing in the morning." He looked back at Cassandra. "Be ready to leave at seven sharp."

She had to resist the urge to salute him, and she nodded. Cassandra didn't speak again until Scott had closed the door behind him. "He's greiving. Why does he think she's dead?"

Charles shook his head. "I honestly am not sure. But I think he blieves that even if the body is alive, whatever is in her makes it not Jean. We are going to try to get her back though. And hopefully save her life. Why don't you familiarize yourself with the grounds? Make yourself at home, Cassandra."

She nodded, and smiled at him as she made her way to the door. "Thank you."

_Logan_

_Danger Room_

Logan wiped his forehead, and exited the Danger Room with Shadow Cat, Rogue, Colossus, and Ice Man. The training with the four students had been going fairly well, each adapting to the other, and using the strengths to the best of their abilities. He couldn't shake the point of Rogue spending too much time watching Shadow Cat and Ice Man together taking a narrow miss of an energy blast. He had started berating her but eventually backed off.

He knew Rogue loved Bobby, but it was entirely too complicated. Or was it? Was whatever Rogue was seeing too different then his own love for Jean, who was with Scott? He grumbled low under his breath and stalked to the elevator.

"Logan?" Rogue's southern accent stopped him cold as he hit the button.

He turned his head only a fraction of an inch to allow her to speak freely. "Yeah kid?"

"I'm sorry. About the distraction."

His head dropped and he groaned as he moved into the elevator, and turned to look at her. "It's alright. Don't let it happen again." he offered a slight smirk before the doors closed and it started up. It didn't go to the second floor as he had been hoping, instead it stopped on the first floor, and he let out and audible groan and rolled his eyes as he saw who was on the other side of the doors. "Cassandra."

She smirks at him and hits the button to go back down as she entered the small room. What the hell kind of purfume did she wear? The scent coming off of her was unnerving, stirring things in him, primal things in him that hadn't been touched in ages... hadn't it? He shook his head slightly as the irritation bubbles to the surface.

"Why are you so irritated with me, Logan?" She asked, leaning against the far wall.

"Now what would give you that impression?" He took out a cigar and put it between his teeth as he grabbed his matches out of his back pocket.

"Are you allowed to smoke those in here?"

What the hell was she... "Damn." he took the cigar out of his mouth and held onto it until the doors opened. Without a moment's pause he exited the elevator and started down the hall.

She leaned out the doors, and then pressed her hand against it keeping it open. "You didn't answer my question Logan."

"You didn't answer mine." He called as he kept walking.

"Are you always so rude?" She glared at his back as he walked away from her.

"Yes." He couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips as he lit the cigar, and he heard the doors close. He couldn't smell her behind him, so he knew she had stayed in the elevator. Good. He didn't need that ungodly arousing scent near him anymore then nessacary. Damn it, now he needed a workout again.

_Cassandra_

_Basement_

He was infuriating! She found a training room, complete with punching bag and sparring mats, and was currently deciding on whether she wanted to run back to her room grab a pair of gym shorts and a sports bra and take out her frustration on the punching bag or if she should just let it go. "let it go." She said to herself. She had other worries such as trying to find Jean Grey which were definitely more important then Logan.

"Talkin' to yah self?" A southern accent came to her. The tone was laughing, and as she turned she saw a girl that was maybe a little taller then she was, dark auburn hair with a white streak down the very front of her hair.

"A little. Sorry." she smiled and started back to the doorway.

"No need tah apolahgize." She waved her off and extended a gloved hand toward her. "I'm Rogue."

She smiles and takes the girl's hand squeezing softly. "Cassandra."

"Prophet?" The girl asked.

Cassandra nodded once sharply. "How did..."

"Yah name. It means prophet, raght?" She smiles, and steps back to let her out of the room.

"Yeah." The tone in her voice was obvious she didn't want to talk about it. The irony of her name, and her power was NOT lost on her. It irritated the hell out of her when people brought it up, and she really didn't want to go into detail about herself.

"So ya going to Alkalah lake tomorrah?" She asked, pulling her hair back into a pony tail, smoothing the white strands behind her ears.

"Yeah. Can't say that I'm looking forward to it though."

"Why not?"

Cassandra sighed and shook her head. "The entity that's taken over Jean... it's powerful, and it taps me out to concentrate that hard on finding it."

"It? Ya don't think it's Jean any mor' do ya?"

She shook her head. "Nope. But I guess we'll find out soon, won't we?" She smiles and walks a little faster back to the elevator. "Would you excuse me?"

Rogue nodded and fell back as she heard Kitty coming into the hallway. "Good luck if Ah don't see ya before."

Cassandra nodded and threw her hand up in a thank you gesture before she went back into the elevator. She needed that workout. And she needed it now.


	4. Author's Note

To all my reviewers.

I am DESPERATELY desperately sorry that I have not updated this story. I lost inspiration, and have not watched the movies in a LONG time.

I am now consciously making a point to watch BOTH tomorrow so I can continue, and hopefully update with a FEW chapters very very soon.

I also have my focus on my Lord of the Rings fiction that I have up here, is has 26 chapters and is a WIP. If you like LotR I encourage you to R&R :D

I promise in the next couple of weeks I will be updating this story, as I miss Wolvie and Cassandra.

Yes this will turn into a OC/Wolverine pairing, but trust me there will be a good twist, and they pry won't be together long. (This also may lead very well into the Wolverine MOVIE that's coming out, can we all say FAN GIRL SQUEAL?! Also check the 4 chapters already up, I will be editing those slightly to add more length and possibly more depth to the chapters :D

Sorry for keeping you all waiting.

~Jordan~


	5. Alkalai Lake

**A/N thank you all for your patience. I do not have a beta here, so bear with any grammatical or spelling errors my computer failed to grab. **

**I am working on chapter 5 as I type this note out, and will have it done by tomorrow afternoon. It is half done, but as of now, it's past midnight, and I must sleep. A tired mind is not an inspired mind. **

Chapter 4: Alkalai Lake

_Cassandra_

_X-Jet_

Cassandra sat behind Cyclops, her thumbs hooked into the belt that secured her to the seat. Her knuckles moved up and down subconsciously rubbing the leather jacket she had been given that bore the X symbol Storm and Cyclops wore on their black uniforms. She almost envied Storm for hers that included a long silver cape that was currently dropping on either side of the chair she sat in dragging on the floor of the jet. Scott's red sunglasses were swapped for a long visor that wrapped around his head, both pieces of his attire intrigued her. She had been told what his power was, but she was more then simply interested in what kept the high powered beams behind the glass. The whole system of it intrigued her, along with the dial that seemed to take down whatever barrier was up behind the glass and his eyes. She tilted her head slightly as she watched him carefully, her brow creased as she did so, worry crossing her features.

"Cassandra," Nightcrawler's gravelly voice came to her, snapping her attention to his blue scarred face. "Zere iss nothing to worry about. Storm and Cyclops are excellent pilots."

Cassandra smiled softly as she noticed the dark skinned woman turn to look at the both of them. "That's not what I was worrying about."

Storm's curious expression caught her attention then, and she turned her eyes to Cyclops's brown hair meaningfully. The older woman turned her dark eyes to look at her X-men partner. Cassandra watched as the woman's gaze become thoughtful then she looked back at the younger female and nodded her understanding of worrying about him.

Scott grieved hard. She had seen in the past what had happened to Jean at the lake months before, the dam breaking, she sacrificed herself to save them all. But Cassandra knew that she had survived some how. She had a feeling that what they were going to find at the lake was nothing but rubble and water.

"How does your power work, Cassandra?" Kurt spoke again, tearing her attention back to him. His head was tilted slightly to the side, almost a childlike curiosity in his yellow eyes.

She smiled softly, "I'm not entirely sure. I can see everything. The past, other people's pasts, their futures. My future. But I don't see it constantly. Only if I completely lose my focus, or just concentrate on my ability. I don't see a constant stream of visions."

"Could you see possible scenarios?" He thumbed the rosary in his large fingers absentmindedly as he spoke, she found it endearing that he held his faith in such high regard.

She nodded slightly. "Yes, such as... I can see the different choices you have to make. Stay in your seat there or go back to the back of the jet and sit there. Or even in the landing ahead of us, stay here in the jet or journey out to the shore of the lake with the rest of us. You could make to different choices. And everyone has a choice. Some choices are easier for people to make, others are harder. But I see them all."

Nightcrawler nodded thoughtfully, his eyes seeming distant. "Perhaps God has given you your gift to help us make zose difficult decizions. Eef... you see every possibility... You would know what direction would lead us to Jean? You would know which to keep us out of danger?"

She had never once looked at it in that light. To her, her gift was nothing more then a nuisance. Something to be dealt with, and controlled, something to hinder any possibility of a decent future with anyone. It set her apart, even her own mother who professed her love for her from the day she was born ended up loathing and despising her. Her gift wasn't much of something she had found a whole lot of faith in, but Kurt... with his child like wonder of the world around him had seen it as a 'gift' a true gift from God.

She had to consider the possibility that Kurt was right. Was there a reason for God causing her the misery of seeing the look of disgust and disdain on her mother's face the first time her eyes glowed, and she collapsed into convulsions from a vision of the people that tried to rob their home? Was there a reason behind the curb meeting her face when her mother literally threw her out not weeks later? It wasn't something she normally spent much time thinking about. Dwelling on a less them stellar memory wasn't something she was too eager to do.

Though, she wondered, if there was a reason behind it, there was a reason behind everything that had happened in her life, a reason for why she was sitting in that chair gripping the belt in her fear of the speed the craft was traveling.

"We're coming up on the lake." Storm's soft voice jarred her out of her thoughts, and she unbuckled the belt, moving to stand beside her to look down at the water that spread out under them.

Immediately, she set her sight out, concentrating on the surrounding area. "Something is out there."

For the first time since they entered the jet, Scott looked up at her, asking her without words if it was Jean.

"I can't tell what, I just know that there is something, an entity THE Entity that is holed up inside of her is here somewhere." She started, and turned around, gazing at the back of the jet. "Storm?" She felt the dark skinned woman's eyes on her. "Pick up speed. NOW!"

Storm didn't take much to alert to danger, and pressed a lever forward, the jet lurched, throwing her toward the floor when strong arms reached out to catch her. She looked up in shock that she hadn't hit the grated floor and met Kurt's eyes. "Thanks." She whispered. He nodded once to her before they both were flying to the floor then as the tail of the craft lurched once more, nose toward the water.

"What's going on?" Storm yelled as she and Cyclops tried desperately to steady the aircraft.

"It's her! Not... the thing! It's trying to defend it's territory!" Cassandra stammered, trying to climb back into the chair she had occupied and slid the plugs back into the receivers, securing her to the seat once more.

Cyclops then did the worst thing possible. He abandoned the controls. The seat he was occupying turned, and he too faced the back of the jet. "Jean." It was just a low whisper she wasn't sure if she had heard him right. But his lips formed her name like a caress, he was determined, and it terrified her seeing the options that he considered for himself. Opening the ramp, or blasting a hole into the back of the jet just so she would see him was two of the more terrifying options.

"SCOTT!" Cassandra screamed, willing him to meet her gaze, wishing then that she had perfected the ability to push her visions into someone else's mind. That was the most difficult thing to do, opening her mind to someone else's and she definitely wouldn't be able to do it with Scott in the state he was in. She screamed his name again, and it registered in his mind when the jet was pushed roughly off it's course closer to the water. "You can't!"

Her eyes plead with him, and he couldn't help the sudden protectiveness that came over him for everyone caught in the maelstrom with him in the air. He spun his chair back around and helped Storm redirect the jet to the ground semi safely.

Cassandra was terrified to allow Storm to lower the ramp, but she couldn't get her lips to work properly enough to allow for a decent response to seeing her hand move to the control, and seeing in her mind the ramp lowering. So many possibilities ran through her head, and it wasn't completely her power working. Nonetheless she unbuckled herself once more, and stepped behind Cyclops and Storm as they exited the piece of machinery she then decided she hated.

Her eyes scanned the area surrounding them and suddenly a pair of fiery wing showed over the tree tops before swooping down with a great burst of heat toward them. Kurt grabbed hold of her arm, and she saw his intent in the choice he had decided for the two of them. If Jean attacked, he was taking her out of there on a long series of teleports. It wouldn't end well for her stomach if their situation turned in that direction.

Fire surrounded the being that now walked toward them, and she sent her sight past the facade of the flames. "It's her body." Then she pushed further with what she knew would happen with Scott. She saw nothing deadly happening, and so she didn't try to restrain him when he stepped forward to greet the creature before them.

"Jean?" Scott's voice was strained as if he had spent the last months since Jean's 'death' crying and doing nothing else. The grief Cassandra saw and felt pouring off of him ate away at her heart, and threatened her resolve of keeping a strong composure. Tears brimmed in her eyes just thinking about the pain that Scott was feeling, wondering just how much love it had to take to make a person grieve so strongly that now even months later he was still mourning her loss. She kept a close eye on Jean, and then wondered, why exactly had she been brought along?

The flames, which had been raging around the shapeless form started to transform into a more resolute and diminished crackle around it, and a female form began to take shape between the wings. Slowly, very slowly the flames died, and a pair of eyes were visible, then a face, a soft face that she would have given a supermodel. The face looked startled, almost afraid as she stared back at Scott as he took another step toward her. "It's me. Scott." he called out to her, slowly extending his hand forward, beckoning her to him, he was praying that she would suddenly remember and come willingly.

She saw a slight spark of recognition, and the flames ebbed even further, further down the front of her neck, and collarbones. Slowly the flames gave way around her face, and hair the color of those flames replaced it, streaming long down the flame covered back, though it wasn't singed away. Slowly the shape of clothing took form around her in the fashion of the black leather much like the uniform Storm was wearing as she too started moving to the confused woman standing in front of them.

"Jean?" The woman asked, her soft voice shaking slightly from the emotions running through her. "Honey, do you remember us?"

The woman's eyes snapped to Storm, Cassandra almost missed the movement of her head turning. "Electricity." She said simply. Her eyes moved over Scott and Ororo, long moments passed in complete silence and Cassandra's visions whipped through her mind at such a break neck pace she couldn't register one before the next possibility moved in front of her mind. She gripped hold of Kurt's arm for support, and she smiled at him softly in gratitude as she felt his arm move around her back as he helped her to stand.

"I know you." Jean said finally once the flames had completely disappeared, and the wings behind her had vanished. Cassandra wasn't sure just how much time had passed before the woman before them had spoken. But then her eyes moved past them to Cassandra. "I do not know her."

Scott shook his head softly, taking yet another step toward her. "She's a new student at the school. You remember Professor Xavier?"

Her eyes grew distant for a long moment, considering the name thoughtfully. "Yes." She said decisively. "He runs the school."

Scott nodded encouragingly. "And me?"

Jean smiled softly, tilting her head in an affectionate way. "Scott...." Her voice was suddenly so full of wonder, as if she were seeing him for the first time, after dreaming about him for ages. Her hand moved toward him, and Scott reached out, and took it. "I know you. You came for me?"

Scott swallowed roughly and nodded. "I wouldn't leave you here."

Then a guarded look came into her eyes. "But you did."

He shook his head. "Not by choice. I couldn't accept your fate, Jean. I didn't feel it was it for you. I never gave up hope. Others wouldn't let me come here."

Cassandra knew who that 'other' was, and she had to wonder why he refused to say Logan's name to her. It was an interesting development, and she decided that once they had her back at the school she would focus her attention onto the past to see just why that was. But in that moment, she had to keep her vision open, to make sure that Jean wouldn't attack them.

"Scott... I'm so tired." She moved into his arms, holding onto him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder. He stiffened for a moment before he completely melted against her, holding her to him just as tightly.

"Let's get you home, you can sleep all you want there." He pulled back slightly, and then Cassandra saw her eyes. They were no longer the vivid brown they had been, they were black.

"NO!" She screamed, and threw herself forward. She grabbed hold of Scott's uniform, and tore him away from Jean at the same moment a horrible ripping tore at her, she felt as if she were going to explode from the inside out. She looked up at Jean in amazement before her world went black.

**Reviews are better then living through Jean's telekinetic attack.**


	6. Waking

Chapter 5: Waking.

_Logan_

_Xavier Mansion_

He paced the infirmary up and down at least two hundred times before the girl stirred. Still nothing from Jean. He wasn't entirely sure of the whole story, as Storm seemed just as shaken up as Scott and Kurt. The only straight answer he was going to get would be from the Prophet. His eyes stayed fixed on Jean laying unconscious on the table quarantined in the next room as he stopped and listened to he girl on the bed behind him. "Tell me the truth. What the hell happened out there?"

He heard a groan, and turned to see her barely able to pull herself up to sit. He sighed and leaned against the window then as she righted herself and looked up at him in confusion. "I'm not dead?" She asked.

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Obviously not."

"What..."

"That's what I asked." He interrupted impatiently. "You can see it, you tell me."

She shook her head, then looked down at the blanket covering her legs, and he saw her feet move, her toes pointed out, flexed back, pointed, flexed, pointed, flexed. Her knees pulled up and let down much in the same way. She was stalling. It was irritating. "Cassandra!"

Her eyes startled found their way to his again. "Sorry... I..." She shook her head again, almost as if she were trying to clear it. "She was surrounded in fire. She hugged Scott after the fire died away... she recognized them... but Scott pulled away... and her eyes... were black." She also seemed shaken up. "I saw what was coming... she was going to kill us all. Starting with Scott... I threw myself at him.. pulled him away.. I thought I was first... I thought I was dead. Are you sure I'm not dead?"

"Do you hurt?" he asked. He waited for her nod, then chuckled softly to himself. "Then trust me kid, you ain't dead."

She glared at him. "Stop calling me 'kid'. It's irritating."

"Tell me what happened after. Concentrate." He said sternly. He knew damn well he wasn't any father figure, but he sure as hell felt like he was reprimanding a toddler for sticking it's hand into the cookie jar and getting caught doing it.

Her eyes glowed, and her jaw fell slack as soft gasp came from her lips as she saw what happened. "Storm electrocuted her. Scott blasted her... Nightcrawler... took me to the jet, then her. She was unconscious."

He looked up as he heard Jean's doors opening and saw Charles moving into the room. "Get some rest kid."

"Quit calling me kid." She glowered after him, seething under her breath after him.

"Charles." He called out moving into the room as the doors closed. "Is she going to be alright? How did she survive?"

Charles shook his head as he moved over to Jean. His eyes moved over her body for what had to be the millionth time as he watched Charles place his hands on either side of her head, and concentrated. "I'm not sure. The massive amount of water that took her should have obliterated her completely. She must have used her ability to cocoon herself, protect herself. It's the only explanation. She's the strongest mutant out there, Logan. Her potential is limitless. But this creature that has taken hold her her... it's controlling her abilities. Using them against her, using them in a way that Jean never would have been able to accomplish on her own."

Logan glared at Charles. "You think she's WEAK?"

Charles shook his head. "No, quite the opposite. Jean wouldn't have used her abilities in such a way that this... thing does. The ripping sensation Cassandra spoke of... She was using her telekinesis to literally rip them all apart. The only one it may not work on would be you, Logan." Charles sat back in the wheelchair, and sighed. "All I can decipher on this entity is it calls itself 'The Phoenix'. It's up to Jean now to take control of her body, or allow the Phoenix to control her. We must give her time." He turned the chair, and started out of the room. "And we do not let her near anyone. That includes you."

"You know, Charles, you keep an animal caged for too long, it's going to attack." He shook his head. "She won't be alone. But I do recommend keeping the kid out of that room." He said nodding his head toward the window, where Cassandra sat in her bed, staring at them.

"I agree, Logan. I can only hope that our Jean will come back to us. I am keeping her sedated, allowing the battle to be waged inside her mind. To allow Jean to come fully back to us. Right now, it's all we can do."

Logan watched then as Charles left the room, and opened the door to Cassandra's room. He listened as she protested being moved to another part of the infirmary and smirked as she finally gave in and trudged off to her room instead. Compromise. Something he was foreign to. He was going to get his way. Jean would not be allowed to be alone. Not for long.

As he made his way out of the lower levels, he went right for the nearest bar. He was having a drink, then he was going back to the hospital wing. He was going to convince Jean to come back. Animal to animal. He was going to face the Phoenix.

_Cassandra_

_Charles' Study. _

She was led into the room by Storm, and came face to face with something she had definitely never seen before. Kurt's blue tinted skin had nothing compared to the blue furball standing in front of Charles' desk. She stopped in her tracks, and knew she was staring rudely, but she couldn't help it. "Wow."

Storm laughed softly, and moved forward to hug him. "Hank. Good to see you."

He wrapped his arms around her, and spoke in a soft, calming voice, and she swore he must have come from a higher class. "Likewise, my dear. And who..." His gaze shifted to Cassandra. "is this?"

She shook her head for what seemed the trillionth time since she woke up trying to clear it of the static and conflicting visions that popped up into her mind. Something Jean had done to her screwed up her ability to keep her power as dormant as she usually was able to. "I'm... um.. Cassandra Ward." She held her hand out, trying to block out the unsettling images of Jean breaking free from her constraints and tearing the mansion apart.

A warm furry hand closed around hers. "Hank McCoy. I'm the Secretary of Mutant Affairs."

She nodded, and offered him a smile. She realized then that she had heard of McCoy before. "Lucky you."

He laughed then, and turned his attention to the doorway where Charles was entering the room. "Charles. Thank you again for seeing me on such short notice." Hank too Charles' hand as he moved the chair forward, and the duo exchanged pleasantries. She moved to sit on the couch as Hank relayed he had news, and though it didn't lead to a man named Eric they had captured a mutant named "Mystique". Their voices faded out slightly as she sent her vision forward to find out who the two were, all she could see was more blue skin, and the dangerous mutant that gave Rogue her white streak of hair.

She looked up then as she heard the exchange between Logan and Hank, the word "animal" had been said, and she was startled by the two possible ways Logan could take that comment; punch him in the face or return with a snarky comment. Thankfully he chose the latter. Ororo then interrupted the male contest of 'who has better comebacks' when she observed that Magneto would go after Mystique. She stayed silent through the exchange, but her gaze was then locked on the dark skinned woman. Though she felt Logan's eyes on her, possibly wondering what she was doing in the meeting.

Hank gained her attention once more as he spoke. "Magneto's not the problem, at least, not our most pressing one. A major pharmaceutical company has developed an antibody to suppress the mutant X gene; permanently. They're calling it a cure."

Cassandra sat back in her seat as she stared wide eyed at him. Immediately flashes of millions of mutants gathering outside a large building in San Fransisco to receive the vaccine flashed into her mind. The school emptied, students pulled out by their parents so they could have 'normal' children.

As she heard Storm's out raged voice debating it she shook her head as she then realized that the people exiting the building wasn't the mutants at all, they were regular people who had never been injected at all, they were born normal, stayed normal through puberty, and still remained normal into their adult years.

As Charles interrupted her with the news that they were announcing it then, another flash moved into her mind. Her mother, somehow finding her at the Xavier mansion, begging her to take the cure. "NO!" Every pair of eyes flashed to her. "They can't!"

Hank didn't understand her discomfort. "They already have."

She shook her head. "No you don't get it! The people that go in, aren't going to come out! This company wasn't founded to HELP us, it was founded because Worthington's son is a mutant. He's trying to make his son 'normal' again. Those people that are going into that building are being trapped, being tied down, injected with the vaccine, then carted off to be thrown in jail!"

Hank shook his head. "The Government would never allow that."

"You don't know what the government's capable of." Logan said, moving closer to the couch, siding with her.

"Who would want this cure?" Storm asked, settling into the couch beside her. "Who would be so cowardly, to take it just to be normal?"

As she was ready to open her lips to speak, Hank beat her to it. "Is it cowardice to save one's self from persecution? Not all of us can fit in as easily as you. You don't shed on the furniture."

Cassandra and Charles laughed softly as Logan spoke up again. "It still brings us back to, what if the Government cooked it up?" Once more Hank denied it. "Yeah I've heard that one before."

"Boy, I have been fighting for mutant rights since before you had your claws." Hank returned.

Logan tilted his head, considering his statement. "Did he just call me 'boy'?"

Before anyone could return the comment, Cassandra spoke up. "Storm, you wanted to know who would take it. Exhibit A is coming our way."

Just then, Rogue entered the room, a look of elation on her face. "Is it true? Can they really cure us?"

Charles heaved a sigh, and nodded. "Yes, Rogue, it appears to be true."

Storm shook her head. "No, Professor, they can't cure us. You wanna know why? Because there's nothing to cure." She got up, and moved over to the girl. "There's nothing wrong with you, or any of us for that matter."

Cassandra watched Rogue closely, and sighed when she saw the look of disbelief in the girl's eyes. It wasn't fair to her at all that her power didn't allow for physical contact. And she wondered if she could be considered the same way. It took a great deal of concentration for her to keep her visions under control, and if she ever were able to truly enjoy a man, she would be seeing everything, every possible way the encounter could go, and that... that was something that was a serious mood killer.

Cassandra knew in that instant that Rogue had made her decision. She doubt anything any of them said to her would change her mind. Logan moving toward the door caught her attention as she heard Charles calling out to him. "You can't go in there alone, Logan."

He spared the Professor the briefest glance before moving into the hall way. "Stop me then."

She knew that Professor Xavier wouldn't, but she did have to wonder, what would Logan be meeting in Jean's room? His own death? She knew better then to interfere, instead of racing after him, she turned back to Charles. "You're not going to let anyone here take that are you?"

Charles sighed. "I will not influence anyone to do something they don't want to do. While I hold the power, Cassandra, I would never use it against someone." He turned his blue eyes onto Rogue for a moment, and sighed. "Cassandra, go rest in your room. Ororo, Hank and I have much to discuss."

_Logan_

_Infirmary_

Logan stood before Jean on the table. It seemed slightly like deja vu. Except... reversed. Only a year before and he had been there where she lay. He reached out for her and brushed a lock of her hair back over her shoulder. Everything about her pulled him in, and he knew that if he lingered too long Scott would come down, and more then likely 'catch' him there. He didn't relish the thought of having to get into it with him while Jean lay unconscious beside him.

His hand lay against her shoulder for a long moment before it trailed toward her neck, a loving caress, one that probably should have only come from Scott, but from the first instant he had seen her he wanted... and then loved her. As his knuckles reached the side of her neck her hand shot up and caught his wrist. He started, and pulled away, something resembling fear flooded through him as the electrodes were telekinetically pulled off of her. "Jean?"

Her eyes moved to his, they were unfamiliar, the green-brown of those eyes he loved so intensely were dark. _'Her eyes were black.' _ Cassandra's words moved through his mind as he stared down at her. "Hi Logan." She said sweetly. There was something behind her words, joy, love, wonderment, he wasn't sure, he was never good with the whole emotions thing. He wouldn't hope to chance that it was love for him. Things like that just didn't come so easily.

"You okay?" He asked cautiously as he watched her slowly push herself up, placing her knees wide apart. God the mental images flooding through his head could have gotten himself killed.

"Logan, you're making me blush." She said teasing him. Her eyes stared into his for a long time, her green was becoming slightly more prominent. "It's okay..." Her hand reached out to him, asking for him to step closer, he wanted to, God in Heaven he wanted to. He wanted to rip the shirt and little shorts off of her body and take her right there on the table. But no... he was more honorable then that. He wasn't the guy that took advantage of a situation such as this.

But then her hand touched his. All reason and thought escaped him when he heard her tell him it was okay again. One moment he was thinking it, the next her lips and body were pressed against him, her hands raking over his chest shoulders and back, pushing the shirt he wore off his shoulders, his hands gripped her sides roughly, and then he was over her, and something... no... not something, her nails were digging into his bicep, tearing into his skin, and it felt good. It spurned him on more and more as her nails dug into his shoulder blades, tugged at his hair. _No... this isn't Jean..._ "NO!" he pushed himself back, and stepped away from her.

Her head tilted as she followed after him, sitting up, her knees pressed together, her hands folded as if in some sort of prayer over her knees, she looked innocent. "What?"

"This... this isn't you, Jean, who... how did you... Charles said..."

And it happened like Cassandra had told him, her eyes instantly turned, black, unfamiliar pools of black that terrified him. "Charles said what?" Even her voice was different.

His eyes scanned the room around them quickly everything was shaking, moving, glass was shattering, but nothing touched them, she kept them in a protective bubble. "That you'd be different."

"Don't you like it?" She asked, her head tilting to the other side, her long red hair moving over her shoulder once again. She reached out for him, and grabbed the tank he wore pulling him toward her.

Did he like it? Hell yes, he loved it. NO.... this wasn't Jean, not _his_ Jean, he didn't like this. "No. Jean, come back to me, focus, come back, I know you're in there, somewhere."

She shook her head slowly, almost as if she were half considering it. "No. I like this me."

"But it's not you!" Damn it all his voice was pleading with her, he hated it, he sounded on the verge of tears, and damn it all to hell, he could feel the moisture building in his eyes. "This isn't you."

Her eyes hardened further, she glared at him. "You won't even accept me?"

"Let Charles help you Jean, he can fix it, get this thing out of you..." His hands gripped her arms, begging, yes, he, the Wolverine was begging her.

Her voice was unearthly as flames erupted behind her, large wings sprouted from her back. "But I don't want to _'fix it'_."

Her body being taken over by flames, her eyes being lost, her wonderful intoxicating presence being taken over was the last thing he saw as the room spun, and he felt something very hard hit his back.

**Reviews are better then rough make out sessions with Logan.**


	7. Confrontations

Chapter 6: Confrontations

_Deathstrike_

_Xavier Grounds_

She had been watching the mansion for the last few days since Cassandra was brought in. Only once had she left, and it had been in the black jet the X-men used so often. She couldn't follow there. She was growing restless, and irritated. Two attempts to breach the grounds proved to be complicated. Imagine her surprise when she found touching a foot to the ground would trigger guns to pop up from the earth and start firing on her. _Some security system._

One car came, carrying Hank McCoy, or as he was referred to amongst the mutant population, 'Beast'. He stayed for exactly two hours, thirst seven minutes and twenty two seconds. She considered following him, but knew it'd prove to be fruitless. She knew the girl wasn't with him, and Eric wouldn't like it much if she abandoned her post without consulting him first. So there she squatted in the bushes on the edge of the property, leaning back against the wrought iron gate, it would irritate the muscles if she hadn't been able to completely ignore it, and have her healing negate any pain she may have felt.

It was true she considered herself lucky. The last thing she remembered before her focus came back and she saw Magneto standing over her was looking down into very familiar eyes as he shoved a needle into her stomach and she felt her torso fill with a searing pain. It was relief. After everything she had done, she was ashamed, turning against her own kind, and it wasn't even her choice. It was Stryker's choice. She hoped he rotted in hell. Eric told her that he had seen to his death.

She wanted Logan back, Eric told her it would take time. Imagine her surprise when she saw him, in the back of her mind as she felt his claws in her, felt her own claws descend, slice into him, she was screaming for him to stop, take her out of there, get her away from this monster that held her mind prisoner. It was bad enough that her body was being held against her will, but to be pushed back inside her own mind against her will, that.... that was torture. Fighting against something she couldn't see, couldn't control, No one knew torture in such that way. No one, except perhaps Jean Grey, who at that point and time decided to punch a hole in the roof of the school, in her fiery form. She looked on in surprise and horror as the form reached heights jet pilots wished they could go, and she lost track of the mutant. "Shit."

She turned and flipped open her phone, dialing Eric. The second she heard his phone click on, she didn't give him a chance to speak. "We have problems."

"Slow down, my dear, what problems?" His smooth, relaxing voice came to her through the ear piece.

"Jean Grey just emerged from the roof of the mansion. As the Phoenix." Her eyes were still on the skies, trying to find where the ball of flames had gone.

There was silence on the other side of the phone for long minutes. She knew that silence, it was thoughtful. "Deathstrike, Meet me at the house. We should investigate this further. Jean could be a useful asset if she's willing."

"How are we going to find her? Eric, I think she went into space!" Yes, she'd admit it, she was terrified. Something that powerful... she had felt death once, she didn't want to feel it again.

"Rest easy, my dear, you will understand. Go to the house. I will return shortly. I'm on business right now." She heard the slight sound of metal compacting.

"What ARE you doing?" She asked as she jumped the iron fence.

She could almost see the smile on his lips. "Rescuing a comrade."

Yuriko couldn't help the eyebrow that almost touched the hairline as she hung up the phone, and raced down the drive to her car.

_Cassandra _

_Rogue's Bedroom_

"So what is it lahke? Seeing the future lahke that?" Rogue asked wrapped her arms around her knees, propping her chin on her forearms.

Cassandra smiled, and tilted her head. "Strange. It's like I can see everything. Every conversation has different questions, the ones you do ask and the ones you don't. I can see every question you want to ask me, like you've already said it."

"What questions?" Kitty Pryde asked then from her spot on the floor in between the beds the two girls were sitting on.

"You for one, asking me if I have a thing for Logan." She smirked as the girl blushed. Cassandra shrugged then. "To answer, I don't know. He calls me kid too much for my liking."

Rogue laughed. "He calls everyone 'kid'. Don' let it get to yah."

Kitty then started to speak, but their voices were drowned out as her vision pulled away from the immediate scene in front of her, and she saw the floor boards bursting upward, throwing Kitty aside, burnt, and broken as a female form flew straight up through the next story, sending someone falling through the holes to the basement, as screams erupted through the rooms, and roofing material fell down through the holes the form had created.

As she came to, both girls were staring at her in shock. "Cassandra? What's wrong?" Rogue asked.

"Kitty..... MOVE!" She threw herself at the girl, and grabbed hold of her pulling her out of the way just as the floor exploded upward. She had only enough time to scream "Stay back!" as their ceiling exploded up into the next level and one of the students stopped just before stepping into the way of the form... no... of JEAN.

She scrambled across the bed, toward the door when it was thrown open, and her nose met a hard metal chest. "OW!" She staggered back and her eyes widened seeing the mutant in front of her.

"Are you all okay?" He asked in a slight Russian accent.

"For now." She said before she tried to push past him, and her sight dropped away again, to show her an Asian woman turning from the gate, and racing down the drive, watching the fiery form. The woman in her sight was changed then, a dark suit, metal claws extended from her fingertips. Those hands wrapped around her throat and lifted her into the air, her hand tightened, cutting off her air supply.

Strong hands gripped hold of her shoulders, and lifted her into the air before cold arms came under her legs and around her back. It took her a long moment before it registered in her mind that the metallic man that she had run into her was carrying her. It took her even longer, precisely right before he barreled through Xavier's study door to truly understand, he was running with her.

And then she was in a chair, and she heard Charles' mind in her own. _What happened Cassandra?_

_Vision.... Jean... woman with claws...._She focused on her latest visions, and what had happened in the room.

"Deathstrike." She heard him say aloud.

It was this word that made her focus completely, and gain her control over the raging visions flashing before her eyes. "Who?"

Storm and Cyclops both were in the room then, Logan was unconscious on the couch beside her. Her eyes raked over him, he seemed to be alright, and then suddenly he shot up, whispering Jean's name.

"What did you do Logan?" Cyclops' voice was beyond pissed off. Anger radiated off of him in waves, that almost nearly overwhelmed her.

"I don't know." He said, shaking his head.

"Don't pull that bullshit, Logan! What did you say to her?!"

She concentrated then, and heard his words to her. "You told her Charles could 'fix' her? When you didn't know who was dominant?"

"Don't go probing around like that!" He snarled back at her.

Determined, she gained her feet, and grabbed hold of his hand, the scene played out in front of her eyes again. "You KNEW the Phoenix was Dominant?!"

She heard Charles sigh behind her, Scott turned and threw his fist against the wall, and Storm heaved her own heavy sigh. "We have to find her." The woman was the first to speak.

Charles nodded. "And we will. I will use Cerebro to find her. Until then... Scott, you and Colossus please try to start putting our home back together?"

Scott passed a furious glare at Logan before he nodded and left the room. The man she had run into was no longer metal, instead he stood, dark hair, even darker blue eyes, and no shirt in front of her. "Are you alright?" He asked softly.

She gaped slightly, yet managed to nod. "Uh-huh."

He smiled softly at her, then turned to do the Professor's bidding.

Logan wrinkled his nose a moment and groaned. "Ugh great."

"What?" Cassandra asked right before the accent flooded the room.

"Charles. Good to see you again." Thick Cajun reached her ears, and her eyes snapped to the doorway.

Was this house full of attractive men? Or were all mutants born that way? Maybe it was the accent, but either way, the only logical thought that formed in her mind as she took in the auburn hair, tied back into a pony tail, the red pupils surrounded in black, the long brown trench coat, the long fingers playing with a deck of cards, was _Holy mother of God._

"New student ah see." he grinned, ... did her heart stop? "The name is..."

"Gambit." Logan growled.

Cassandra's gaze snapped to Logan then. "Gambit? Why... you know..." She was stammering, damn it all, she hated not being able to form any kind of coherent words like that.

Gambit snickered. "You would be correct my _petite_. The Wolverine and myself have crossed paths once before." He turned his attention back to Charles. "Redecorating?"

Charles laughed softly. "Not exactly, Remy. Meet the newest addition to the team, Cassandra Ward."

Remy moved to her, and took her hand, dipping to press his lips to the backs of her fingers. It over over done, but it did things to her heart she hadn't experienced before. "A pleasure."

She swallowed roughly, then took a deep breath as Logan 'nudged' the coffee table into Gambit's shin. Her eyes searched his foot still resting on the coffee table, that hadn't moved, then frowned at Logan confused. She looked up at Gambit who hadn't let go of her hand yet. His crimson eyes were staring at her expectantly. "I'm sorry?" she asked, hoping that he would repeat himself.

He chuckled, how was it possible that the Cajun was prominent even in the laugh? "I asked what your abilities were, _cheri_."

Cassandra sat back in her chair, pulling her hand from his. "Clairvoyance."

Gambit's eyes widened and he took a step back. "Really now?" His gazed moved to Charles, who sat taking in the exchange, eying Logan curiously right along with her. "Using her to find Jean ah take it?"

"Found." Cassandra said smirking. "But she's the thing that busted through the roof."

Now it was his turn to be curious. "That pillar of flame with wings? Since when it she get those?"

Storm sighed, and took a seat next to Logan. "We're guessing..." She looked to Cassandra who nodded. "Liberty Island."

"The Magneto thing a year ago?" He looked back at Storm, then back to Cassandra. "_Cheri, _I don't want to undermine anything you may be seein', but how could that machine..."

"The spirit that's taken over her entered her mind and body while it enveloped them. Mutated it more then both of them already were." Cassandra answered.

"And where did this thing come from ah wonder?" He said, a smirk playing on his lips, his hands had returned to shuffling and cutting the deck of cards that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Cassandra's eyes lifted heavenward in response.

"Where?" Disbelief etched onto his features, and looked at the ceiling.

"Further up then the house." Cassandra said, a grin playing onto her lips.

"How much farther up?" Gambit asked again.

"Past the atmosphere, into a vacuum, possibly a galaxy far far away." She grinned at her own usage of the trademark 'Star Wars' opening.

Gambit grinned back at her. "Ah like her Charles. Keep her around."

Xavier smiled despite his obvious distress over Jean, and Logan's strange behavior. "I am planning on it, Remy. You planning on sticking around this time?"

He looked back at Cassandra and winked. "I think it could be arranged."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Don't be thinking you're gettin' anything from me."

Gambit laughed then, turning to leave the room. "Ya'll might change your tune _petite_. Stick around the Cajun long enough, you start cravin' some spice."

She couldn't help it, but she laughed, a laugh the type unlike she'd had in a long time. Completely joyful, and it surprised her that she had been able to be so comfortable in the Xavier mansion surrounded by mutants much stronger then she was to allow her guard to be down as long as it had been. As she leaned back in the chair wiping tears from her eyes, her gaze caught Logan's, there was a soft smile on his lips, and he was staring openly at her.

That was when he stood and moved over to her, and leaned down kissing her.

She blinked, and he was back in his spot, he hadn't truly gotten up. _This is getting rediculous._

_Logan's behavior is strange indeed, Cassandra. _Charles' mental voice came to her, causing her to jump and look back at him. _He seems to be projecting an aura of protection around you. _

Her eyebrow rose again, and she turned her gaze back to Logan, who had resumed his previous scowl. _It's like marking his territory. And I am not his territory. _She rose from her seat, and moved to the door. "Professor, could I schedule a time to speak with you privately?"

Charles nodded. "Your powers I take it?"

She nodded, "Ever since the encounter at Alkalai Lake with Jean, they've been off."

"It's understandable. Why don't you stop by later this evening, and we'll discuss your options then?"

Cassandra nodded once again, and moved into the hallway. She hadn't gotten ten steps away from the door when Logan's strides echoed on the floor behind her. "Why the hell are you being so protective of me?"

This stopped him. "You're a kid, you need it."

She then stopped and turned facing him. "I don't _need _protection, Logan, especially not from you. I've taken care of myself for the last seven years, I can continue to take care of myself. And... I am NOT a kid!" She turned, and started back down the hallway. She made it to the second floor before she heard him speak again.

"You need it whether you think you do or not." His voice was close. She had put her guard back up to throughly that she hadn't sensed him moving closer to her.

"You just want to protect someone because you failed to protect Jean. And now that both she _and_ the Phoenix have denied you, you're looking for someone else, another reason to stay here so you don't have to own up to WANTING to stay on your own." She was disgusted with his actions, and she hoped her words would take him back enough to allow her to escape into her bedroom.

She didn't expect or even think about seeing what came next. One minute she was walking freely to her room, the next she had her back slammed against the wall, and there were hands on either side of her face, and Logan's was leaning in. His voice as he spoke was low and gruff, but she didn't hear any of it. Visions flashed through her mind of her own past, reminding her what happened the last time she was thrown against a wall like that. She felt her hands coming up to protect her head, felt the wall slipping past her. And her throat was clenching on her. She was on the defense then.

_Logan_

He wasn't entirely sure what in her statement had set him off, and he hadn't set out to hurt her either, but he wanted her to stop, and listen to him. He grabbed her arm, and stopped her, pinning her against the wall to keep her there. His hands gripped the wall on either side of her shoulders, poorly blocking an escape. "Listen, kid, you know nothing about Jean, or anything else...." It was all he was able to get out before fear clouded over her eyes, and she dropped to the floor screaming for him not to touch her, begging him not to hurt her.

Students poured into the hallway, Rogue, Scott, Kitty and Bobby were just a few of the faces he recognized as he backed away from her. He hadn't hurt her, had he? He didn't mean it. He only had taken two steps back before he frowned at her, and reached out to grab her and pull her back to her feet. "Come on Cass, I didn't hurt you and you know it, what the hell are you playing at?"

That... was when she surprised him. As his hand came down onto her shoulder, she sprang into action. She grabbed hold of his wrist with both of her hands, and pushed on the floor with her feet, she rolled, flipping him onto his back, and somehow, he couldn't follow her movements, as dazed as he was by hitting the floor with his back. She was crouched over his chest, anger blazing in her eyes. "Don't. Touch me. Again." Her voice startled him as well, her normally sweet and soft voice had become demanding, aggressive. And God damn it was sexy as hell.

"I'm getting' you in the Danger Room soon, kid." Was all he responded with. He could hear the kids moving about around them, but paid them no attention.

She stood and glared down at him. "And quit calling me 'kid'."

"You're not even legal to drink."

"Yes I am. As of yesterday." She glared at him over her shoulder, then slammed the door of her bedroom she shared with Siren and Kitty.

In a fluid movement, he was back on his feet, glaring at the crowd, "Seen enough? Keep lingering, and it's an hour long session in the Danger Room with me." Immediately the crowd dispersed, and he turned to glare at Scott. "Done makin' repairs?"

"Did you hurt her?" Scott asked, still angry.

"No." it was all he was giving him, as he turned, and moved to the bedroom door, ripping it open, and moving in. Cassandra was seated on her bed, the other two girls no where to be seen in the room, the black kitten was curled up in her lap, and she sat stroking him behind the ears. "What the hell was that out there?"

"My kicking your ass or you scaring the shit out of me?" She returned quickly.

"Both." he said shutting the door and leaning against it.

"You didn't hurt me, but you don't know me either." So she had been able to hear what little he had said.

"You don't know me either." He said taking a step away from the door. He wanted to comfort her a little, she looked so alone sitting on the bed such as she was, her shoulders hunched forward, her eyes downcast. She didn't look at him, and she even smelled withdrawn.

"I know you more then you know yourself, Logan. But you don't want me looking. Or telling you anything, so I won't."

"Look, K...." Then she looked at him, glaring. "Cass. I don't want you telling me anything because shit like that just don't come that easily to me. That's all there is to it."

She shook her head as she looked away from him. "it could. You just don't want it to."

"What happened to you out there?" he asked again.

"My past catching up with me." She answered so quietly, he wasn't sure if anyone else would have been able to hear her words.

"By the way... uh... happy belated birthday." Yes, it was awkward, but Jesus, someone had to say it.

She smirked. "Thanks. You gonna stop calling me 'kid' now?"

" Least until you're done being pissed off." he grinned back at her.

She sighed. "I'm only a 'kid' to you because you've seen at least four wars."

"I remember two." he said, raising an eyebrow of his own.

"I know." She countered.

"Alright, Cass, quit changing the subject, what happened to you?"

When she looked up at him, her gaze was sad. It made the urge to hug her worse. "You sure you wanna know all about my God awful past?"

He grabbed a near by chair and sat down beside her. "Tell me."

"It works easier if I can show you." She patted the kitten at the junction of it's back and tail, and turned to face him as the feline jumped off her lap, and lazily made it's way to her pillow before settling into a ball again, purring loudly.

"And how are you going to show me?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"It's kinda like reverse telepathy. If I can concentrate hard enough, and long enough, and if you can give me a relaxed and open mind, I can push visions into your head. You'll be living it through my eyes." Her bright green eyes flashed for a moment then she closed them and shook her head sighing.

"No, don't..." She turned a curious expression back to him. "you..."

"Alternate reaction. My guard and concentration is kinda weakened right now. Ever since Jean almost ripped be apart..."

He held his hand out. "that..."

"Wasn't Jean, yeah I know."

He sighed, and they lapsed into silence for a long moment. She just stared at him. Her eyes glowing every so often. "Alright. But don't show me anything about me."

**Sorry to leave it there, but this was getting' kinda long. Lol I'll have more up soon. **

**Reviews are better then Jealous, protective Wolverine... well... not really, but it's really close.**


	8. Into the Past

**A/N: This one might be a little smaller, just to warn you guys. **

**Let me know of double spacing is easier to read for you guys!**

**Chapter 7: Into the past**

_Logan_

_Cassandra's bedroom. _

She needed him relaxed, so he relaxed. She didn't touch him, or bring her hands beside his head, rather, she curled her legs together in a lotus style, and rested her hands at the cross of her legs. Her eyes bore into his, and he felt a brush, as if she had physically reached up and trailed her fingers across his forehead. He furrowed his eyebrows, and pulled back a little, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Relax." She reminded him.

She took another deep breath, and waited as he once again readjusted, spinning the chair around to straddle the seat, resting his arms on the back, placing his chin on his forearms. "Okay, is there anything else I should expect?"

"Anything that happens or anything that you feel is just me. Don't pull back, you're gonna have to trust me if you want to know." Her eyes had drifted shut, her voice was so soft and melodic that he thought she could have been sleeping for all the concern she showed over his obvious unease.

But yet he took a few more deep breaths, relaxation that was taught to him long ago, something he couldn't even remember learning, but he still used it. Muscle memory. Then he felt the brush again, and then harder, as if she were massaging his forehead and temples. And then he was calm, surrounded in it. He saw her in his mind, a psychic manifestation of herself, moving around in the darkness of his mind. "Cassandra?"

The form smiled at him. "I actually have only done this once. And it was with a telepath. I didn't think it'd work. You must have really opened your mind."

"I guess... what..."

"Don't get worked up, you'll push me out. I'll show you, Logan. But I'm going to warn you, it isn't going to be a pleasant experience..." And then she turned, and started walking into the darkness, but she didn't move either. And the darkness was lightening up, a living room was shaping itself around them, and she stopped. There was a birthday cake, and a middle aged couple sitting in front of him singing happy birthday. The front door behind them burst open, a gun was fired, hitting the male in the temple as he turned, four figures moved into the room, holding them at gun point, and then the image changed, the male was back in place, the door intact. But he was on the floor, shaking. The female was leaning over him.

"Cass? Honey, are you okay? What happened?"

And then he heard her voice. "MOM! Daddy! Get down! Where's Daddy?!"

"I'm right here... what?" The father knelt down onto the floor beside him as well, and that's when the door was busted through. The gun men fired a warning shot, that missed the father as they moved into the home, and embedded itself in the wall behind the spot he.... no she.... Cassandra... had been occupying previously. She screamed, and he saw arms covering her. Commotion, scrambling, and then nothing.

Her form appeared to him again from the darkness. "That was my first vision. Seeing my father dying. I had gone into slight convulsions. It's why you were seeing it from the floor. I fell off the couch. My mother protected me, somehow my father fought them off, I never found out how. He got a bullet in the arm, one grazed his ear, but he got out fairly unscathed. She turned, and something that resembled a theater screen started playing pictures. The mother grabbed a suitcase, and flung it out the door before reaching toward the screen, and he saw Cassandra's wrist come into view, the vision was shaky, she was being dragged to the door.

"I won't have a mutant for a child. I won't! Get out! Get out now!"

"Mom! Mommy, what.... what did I do?! I didn't mean to! I didn't make those men come into our house..." She screamed as the view changed and he saw in great detail the concrete of a side walk close to the screen. The view spun, and he saw the mother glaring at her, disgust almost becoming permanent in her eyes. "Mom? Please? Don't... don't do this! I can't take care of myself! I didn't ask for this! MOMMY!" She scrambled to her feet, and threw herself at the door as it was slammed in her face. "MOM! DADDY! Let me back in! Let me in!"

"I'm calling the police, Cassandra. They can have you if you don't want to leave." The mother's voice came to his ears through the door. He shook his head in disgust, then turned to look at her form.

She had her arms wrapped around herself looking down at her shoes. "I was thirteen. That was my thirteenth birthday they interrupted. Out of the corner of his eye he saw slight images flickering, street names, buildings, faceless bodies walking past her. "I wandered the streets, slept in alleys. It wasn't until the West side gang brought me in that I truly felt home. There was only one other mutant in the group. A telekinetic that was thrown out of the Crips from a neighboring city. He was able to get us in and out of the places we cased. I was there to give probabilities. Which would give us the biggest pay off?"

Images still moved over the 'screen', but he barely looked away from her, her arms shifted, growing tighter around her.

"They said I needed to train, to know how to fight." Shaky images, things flying at the screen, walls moving close too fast, the floor the ground, coming at the screen quickly. "I sucked. They were horrible teachers. Their methods of teaching me was showing me what I did horribly wrong." Her shoulders hunched forward further. "On me."

He heard screams, almost physically felt the blows, the emotions flowing around him overwhelmed, shame, guilt, regret, more shame, sadness. They were breaking her. They did break her. The transition however from the broken girl he felt around him to the confident ... no she wasn't a kid, woman that put him on his back moments before was a complete 180.

"I'll get to that, Logan. Stay with me here." She did look up at him then, the form was becoming more solid, though he suddenly felt as if he should look away as he saw more and more of her skin forming. "it's okay. You'll end up seeing more anyway..." her bare form was solidified in front of him, and she turned her back to him. There was a scar running from her left shoulder across her back to her right side. "I was with them for three years. I was beaten, raped, used. I'm a criminal, Logan. I knew what was going on was morally wrong. I knew it, and yet, I was terrified to leave. Until I found out who they really were." the images on the screen grew brighter, gaining his attention again.

A female voice came to him, he ... no SHE was standing in a hallway, near a door that was shut. "If you would have just done the job right three years ago, she could have been better!"

"I didn't take into account she'd SEE us before we even got there, Amanda!" A male voice yelled back.

"But she did, I warned you that mutants gain their powers in puberty. But true to yourself, you barreled right in without thinking. You're lucky she doesn't know, her powers are growing, she could probably kill you if she wanted to."

"that stupid bitch won't ever find out, as long as you keep your fat mouth shut."

"I thought you liked it open?" There was a slight crash, a rustle of clothing, and the male started groaning. Yet Cassandra stayed put. Waiting. They may have been showing her what she had done wrong, beaten her, broken her, humiliated her, but they were the reasons she didn't have a home. They were the reason her powers manifested. She leaned against the wall, staring out the window in the hall, waiting. Then the door opened. She acted quickly, throwing her elbow up into the woman's nose once the door was shut. She reached up and grabbed the five seven woman by the back of the neck, and threw her through the third story window. Then she turned, and moved into the office. "You were the one."

A male lounged back in a chair, a satisfied smirk on his lips. "Cassie. You just missed Amanda."

"Pity." her voice was hardened, it sounded exactly like it had in the hallway with him when she warned him not to touch her again.

The male looked up, slightly stunned, "What's happened?"

"I found out." Logan didn't recognize her voice at all, emotionless, hard, like she wanted to kill.

"Found out?" he was playing innocent.

She moved toward the desk, then around the side. "Yeah... Amanda's fat mouth." She leaned over his chair, too close, she shouldn't have gotten that close...

She was thrown over the desk, landing on a chair that sat in front of the desk, tipping it over and she rolled before gaining her feet, racing for the door, but a foot met her back, throwing her into the door her head making contact with the solid oak. "You were supposed to be handy. Now, you're a nuisance." A knee came up into the screen, she grunted. Then pain seared at his scalp, he could see the ceiling of the room, then the doorway, the hallway, a slight burning down his back, she was being dragged. Then he saw the ceiling slant, and his tail bone ached, he hadn't felt anything like that ever before, he was always healed before feeling any pain. Her lower back slammed against the steps as she was dragged down three flights, then thrown into a glass coffee table, more pain, sharp, stabbing, he felt like he couldn't move. Fists pummeled the screen, he saw red, blood. Then black.

"When they kick you out, you're supposed to die." Her voice startled him, and he spun to her. "The hospital I woke up in told me I was found alongside a country road bleeding to death. I was lucky the glass table didn't sever my spine. It came close. I still get back spasms every now and then if I do anything overtly strenuous." More pictures, doctors, nurses flashed on the screen. "I woke up in Sandusky, Ohio, fifty miles from where I was living. Someone found me took me to the nearest hospital, and told them to bill him. I don't know who it was to this day. I never saw a doctor bill. He musta been legit." She turned saddened eyes onto him then, clothing now covered her form.

"What happened then?" He was in awe, he'd admit it. This woman before him had literally been through hell.

"I rebuilt my life. Got a job, finished school, lived in a meager apartment. Became manager over customer service at the local super store." She smirked. "Not exactly glamorous, but I was living. It was enough. West side thought I'd died. I never saw them again, haven't seen them in my future either. I re enrolled myself in gymnastics, and karate. I had nothing better to do with my time when I wasn't working. I have a hard time sitting still and doing nothing. And I learnt to perfect my abilities, put up walls, guarded myself when I had to touch people. I meditate every night before bed so I can calm my mind and sleep."

"And the reaction in the hall?" Logan prompted.

"Slight PTSD from the gang. I know you weren't trying to hurt me, but... my guard has been down, you startled me." Her form started fading, a soft smile on her lips.

"No.... Cassandra, don't..." The pressure was gone, and he truly opened his eyes and stared into her green irises as she stared up at him from her spot on the bed. He dropped his arms and grabbed hold of her hand. "You're safe here, Cass." he vowed to himself he wouldn't call her 'kid' anymore. There was no rhyme or reason to call her that. She had the life experience, and the wisdom of a woman twice her age. Whether from her ability or just her life in general, he wasn't entirely sure, but she sure as hell wasn't a kid to him anymore. By him adding in the 'here' he wasn't entirely sure if he meant at the mansion with Xavier... or with him. But he knew his heart was opening up to her as well, the urge to protect her was starting to grow more and more into a fierce possessiveness that he couldn't suppress.

Maybe she was right, maybe he wanted to protect her to give him a 'real' reason to stay with Charles. It was possible that she was right about everything, but he wasn't going to own up to it any time soon. She may not have needed the protection, but he was going to give it. And there was no way he was going to let the Cajun near her and let her get her heart broken. Which was all the Cajun was, a heart breaker.

"I know." She said. The tone in her voice seemed to encompass everything that had just gone through his mind.

Logan frowned as he wondered if there was some sort of choice he had in telling her any or all of what he had just thought, and if she had seen the choice where he had.

She squeezed his fingers and offered him a smile. "Can I possibly do what I came in here to do now?"

He smirked. "That is?"

"Rest. I think I need it after the last twenty four hours I've had. You should too. You won't get much of a chance to three days from now."

"What happens in three days?" Logan narrowed his eyes on her slightly.

She offered him a softer smile. "The battle we're all gearing up for."

He nodded and let his hand slip from hers as he got up. "Sleep well, Cass."

She nodded, and started for her dresser before she stopped, and turned back. "Logan?"

He stopped as he opened the door, and looked back at her. "Yeah?"

"Don't ever call me Cassie."

He smiled back at her and nodded. "I promise."

**Reviews are better then Logan accepting you as a woman instead of a kid. **

**I know this didn't cover much, plot wise, but it helps you all see who Cass is and why she's so stubborn to have people accept her for who and what she is. Especially Logan who kept calling her "kid"**


	9. Visions of the Future

**Chapter 8: Visions of the future**

_Cassandra _

_Bedroom_

Exposing herself to Logan in that way had been slightly unnerving, but he took it in stride, and even called her "Cass" when he left. Not 'Kid'. It was a change, a good change, and she couldn't help but feel happy as she changed into more comfortable clothes, and lay back on her mattress centering her mind, allowing the multitude of possibilities for her future race through her mind unblocked. She wasn't sure if she was day dreaming more then letting her vision come out full force, especially when Logan's face popped up in front of her eyes more often then not. Only slight possibilities between the Russian and Gambit flashed before her eyes, but then they were gone in a fleeting moment Kitty and Rogue having caught their eyes firmly. She smiled with the thought, perhaps Rogue's infatuation with Bobby would die out, and she would be allowed a grown up relationship with the Cajun.

But there was Logan before her eyes, a hand on her cheek his thumb caressing, his lips on hers, massaging. His arms around her protectively, holding her back from attacking Gambit, she smirked inwardly at that, and wondered what would cause that mishap. He was telling her her loved her, Jean was forgotten, she was his world, and then.... her eyes flew open, no it couldn't be possible.

And yet, it was. It was quite possible. She focused her vision once more as she heard the door opening, and ignored it, holding her finger up as she heard Kitty's voice coming to her from far away. A perfect, tiny little being. 

_Perfectly white skin, a swirl of blue and green eyes; round, and wide in wonderment. A nose that sloped down, sculpted like the father's. Cheeks that just begged to be kissed, tinted pink with excitement. Tiny lips that were just as plump as the mother's. A chin that was rounded just so to complete the oval face. A fine spray of light brown hair grew on the child's head, barely brushing the pink shirt that covered thin shoulders, arms reached up to her, eight teeth smiled brightly up at her as a soft voice came from those lips. "Up!" Tiny hands clenched at her, eight fingers, two thumbs begging to be taken, then two strong hands grasped the child's round belly and lifted her off the ground tossing her lightly into the air, Logan. The child squealed in delight, and twisted in his arms. "Dah-ee!" he kissed her cheek and turned his attention back to her, "Cass, honey, you coming?" _

She gasped as she came out of her vision, and sat up straight as a rod in her bed, her eyes stared ahead at Siren, Kitty, and Rogue looked at her worried.

"Cass? Are you alright?" Siren asked, approaching her slowly.

Her voice shook as she looked back at the younger girl. "Hu....huh....huh?"

"You're cryin'." Rogue observed as she stepped forward and rose a gloved hand to brush the back of her finger against Cassandra's cheek.

"I..." her breathing was labored slightly, and she sniffled as she brought her own hand to wipe her cheek then inspect her fingertips as a salty drop fell between her fingers.

"What'd you see?" Kitty asked, concern written all over her features as she crouched by the end of the bed.

She started to shake her head, no that wasn't something she could share. No, that was hers, her dream, her... future? Then she shook it firmer. "No. I can't share that."

"Good or bad?" The girl asked as she folded her arms on the end of the mattress and rested her chin on them.

"Good." She said, a soft tone of wonder in her voice, a smile started to play with the corners of her mouth.

"Well then what 'cha'll cryin' for?" Rogue spoke again, amused by her behavior.

"It's something I never thought possible for me. But that type of vision... it was too... solid. It was like I was there. It's a choice. But not mine." She said as she looked up into Rogue's brown eyes, her own green irises searched the girl's face as she spoke, taking in the girl's appearance, it would change slightly in the future. Rogue was younger then she had guessed. It would become stronger, her hair would lengthen, become slightly curled, it would be happier.

"What do you mean?" Siren caught her attention again.

"The future I just saw for myself... It's the culmination of many choices. But two big ones. And it depends on one person." She shook her head, signalling the halt to the conversation, she wouldn't divulge anymore. The Doctor in the hospital had told her having kids would be next to impossible. She could end up bed ridden because of the damage done to her back. She had taken too many blows to her abdomen while with Westside, was even stabbed in the gut once. The odds were all against her, and there it was in her future a child, the perfect blend between herself and Logan. His healing ability... it had to be the only way a baby would be able to survive inside of her, the child must end up taking after her father. A little girl... "It doesn't matter, it's not the most pressing right now. Jean is." Her eyes moved to the windows which were darkened with the blackest part of the night. It was late. Just how long she had been meditating on her bed was unknown to her. She wasn't sure what time it had been when Logan left her room, or how late it was when she laid down and began her session. Her eyes fell to the bedside table, where her alarm clock rested, it's red numbers showing it was after ten. "Has the Professor found anything?"

Rogue nodded. "Kitty and ah just came from his office. He held a meeting, but didn't wanna disturb you. He found Jean with Magneto. A third party source." Her eyebrows lifted in an aggravated manner.

"Someone you knew?"

"Still do know. Defector." She said the last word quietly, almost as a side thought.

"Who?"

"John Allerdyce. Pyro. He's Magneto's right hand man now. The Professor also found out that... Mystique ain't a mutant anymore." Rogue said settling down into the chair Logan had used during their connection.

"Mystique?" Cassandra asked.

Kitty nodded. "High level mutant, she's a shape shifter. I guess they made the Cure into a weapon, put it into a gun."

"Jesus." Cassandra leaned back against the headboard, her fingers moving into her kitten's fur absentmindedly as he jumped back up onto the bed and wound his way under her hand. "I gotta go talk to the Professor." she scratched the kitten roughly, giving him playful affection before rolling off her bed, moving to Charles' office.

_Logan_

_Charles Xavier's office_

"I had no idea." Logan said as he paced in front of the fireplace. "And then everything she showed me... _everything._ She completely opened up, she trusts me.... ME of all people, Charles."

Charles smiled up at him softly. "Take it as a good thing, Logan. Someone who has been through what she has, it's difficult for them to trust anyone. We're lucky she's worked to move past it all, and is even here in the first place."

"And my reaction to her..." He stopped and turned to look at Charles. "A word about this to anyone, and I swear to God..."

He chuckled. "Logan, it is not my place to discuss your life with anyone else."

"Seeing the Cajun touch her irritated the hell out of me. Her smell...." He stopped and inhaled, it was still there despite the fact that she was not in the room with him. Cucumbers, and fruit and vanilla. The combination between the three, not to mention even throwing in her natural feminine scent, drove him crazy. "Everything about her... I want to protect her Charles." He started pacing again, this time the width of the room.

"I have a feeling that you want more then to protect her, Logan." His voice took on a more fatherly tone as he spoke.

Logan stopped in his pacing and looked up at him. Then shook his head. "I just want to protect her."

"From what?" Xavier inquired.

"Everything. Especially no good pieces of shit like the Cajun." He growled out, resuming his pacing.

"Remy is trust worthy, Logan." Charles countered.

"Sure he is, trust a thief." He took a deep breath, then sighed, trying to get his mind off of Cassandra. "What're we going to do about Jean?"

Charles sighed as well, Logan knew that he felt like Jean was his daughter, and hated that this was happening to her. "We wait. See what Magneto has up his sleeves. Then we make our move. I'll need a few more rounds in Cerebro to figure it out."

And there she was in his mind again, damn it. "What about Cass? Can't she see..."

"I don't want to over work her. Her abilities are already out of sync with the rest of her. It's as if she's living a full minute in the future, while her body stays fixed in the present."

"She was able to use her powers pretty well a few hours ago." Logan said trying to convince Charles that she was okay.

"She was supposed to be here for the meeting, and she and I were going to talk afterward. She never showed. She is exhausted."

And there was the scent again, coming down the hallway. Female, Cucumbers, watermelon, and vanilla. The door opened, and it surrounded him, it nearly sent him through the window. "Let her tell you that."

He turned, and took in her appearance, and stopped, something was entirely different about her. Her face was flushed slightly, a small smile seemed to be hidden in her eyes, even though those lips were pulled into a concerned expression. Her T-shirt and athletic pants hung semi loosely on her, and her feet were bare. He couldn't help the soft smile that spread on his own lips as his eyes returned to hers, and then he sensed her guard coming up again around him. He immediately frowned then.

"I'll leave you alone, then." he moved to the door as she stepped forward, perhaps just a touch too close to her, but that scent was like a drug, he needed the fix before he left the room. He half considered as he closed the door behind him, going up to her room and raiding her bathroom equipment to find out what the hell kind of a scent it was exactly so he could get the fix without her. But there was that nagging female scent that was specific to her that nothing would be able to replicate. He had been heading to his room, then did an abrupt turn on the stairs, and headed for the elevator taking him to the basement, he suddenly had a lot of adrenaline to burn off.

_Cassandra _

_Charles Xavier's office_

She was slightly startled to find Logan in Charles' office still, and the vision of the child she had foreseen was still in the fore front of her mind as she saw him and took in the tight fitting jeans, the tank top and brown shirt hanging open over it. Then she had to quickly remind herself it was the future, not the present, and forced herself to center herself right before he made the decision to leave the room. She also couldn't help but notice just how closely he walked to her when he left, taking an unneeded step to his right to get closer to her before leaving the room.  
"What is going on?" she asked in reference to Logan as the door shut.

Charles laughed softly. "He has his problems, as you have yours. What was that I sensed in the front of your mind?"

She looked away and sank into a chair in front of the desk. "A baby." She swallowed roughly, and looked away concentrating on the vision so Charles could see it clearly in her mind.

He nodded in understanding. "Then you feel yourself drawn to him?"

"Can't help it. He... almost screams to me that... he wants help... he... You can't get into his mind and unlock those memories for him... but I can. I can see the memories. Show him as I showed him mine. He doesn't want to accept that it can be that easy though." she sighed, and looked away again.

"Why are you so embarrassed tonight?" she heard a slight tone of amusement in his voice as he spoke, and when she looked up at him, his blue eyes were sparkling with laughter. "There is no need to be."

"Can't help it. Charles, what's going on with my powers?"

He chuckled. "Well, Cassandra, I believe that the experience your body had at Alkalai Lake early this morning disrupted your abilities slightly. It will take concentration, but I believe that with your practice you taught yourself you'll get them working correctly. Jean's heightened abilities were tearing your body apart at a molecular level. The Phoenix touched your very genetics that give you your abilities. The slight brush was enough to throw them out of sync. If you wish, I can work with you to get them back in your control. We can start tomorrow after lunch if you would like."

She nodded, working with one of the greatest minds in the world to help perfect her powers? She would be insane to turn it down. "I would."

Charles nodded. "I will see you at one tomorrow afternoon then. I would like it if you would join Storm in the danger room before our session for some training. To be a part of our team, Cassandra, you must work with the team."

She nodded again. "Okay, when is she going in?"

"Ten. Eat first. Then meet her in the basement. Lunch, then right up here with me." Charles instructed.

Another nod. She felt like a bobble head. "Okay, professor."

"Get your rest, Cassandra. The next few days, you're going to need it."

**Reviews are better then cute little Wolverine babies!**


	10. Growth

**Chapter 9: Growth**

**a/n This chapter is going to be LONG and tedious here. Also going to span a longer amount of time, specially since the last 5 chapters only moved over the span of a few hours! Gotta get this moving forward here hahaha**

_Cassandra_

_Xavier Mansion_

The days following the very long, very tiring first full day she'd had at the school had given her a set, and very strict routine. The morning after she'd been in the kitchen eating breakfast, only a small bagel and cream cheese and a glass of orange juice, before moving to the basement following Rogue to the locker rooms to gain her training uniform. Xavier had told her she was to be a part of the X-men immediately, though she knew she would have to gain the ability to wear a true uniform with the team while out. For the time being she wore a black tank and the soft black leather pants of the uniforms with the leather jacket she had worn the day before to Alkalai Lake.

She semi watched as Kitty, Rogue and Storm changed into their team uniforms with a slight pang of jealousy as she pulled her hair up into a long pony tail to keep it out of her face. Storm turned to her as she fastened the cape to her shoulders, informing them of the program they would be running 'Sentinel level six', then moved out of the room. She followed behind Rogue and Shadowcat, her eyes widening as she saw the Russian, Bobby Drake, Cyclops and Gambit all moving down the hall to the room.

Storm and Cyclops both stopped in the middle of a stark large empty grey room as they entered. The dark skinned woman spoke first while Cyclops stood silently beside her, a sort of emotionless posture, and expression on the features she could see.

"Cyclops and I will be acting as Team Leaders, any orders you hear from us, you follow." She waited to gain the nods of the other six, raising an eyebrow as Remy simply twirled a staff in his hands, and arched an eyebrow at her. "Colossus, you and Rogue will be paired, Iceman and Shadowcat, Gambit and Prophet." Cassandra couldn't help but smile and stand up straighter as she heard the name she had given herself coming from Storm's lips to make her firmly part of the team. She watched as Rogue moved slowly, and seemingly regretfully next to the Russian, keeping her eye on Kitty as the small girl moved closer to Bobby.

"You and me then, huh _cheri_?" Gambit asked as he moved closer to her, laying a hand on her shoulder.

She smirked. "Only because Storm ordered it."

"We work together as a team, but you watch out for your partner. This is strictly for a lesson in Teamwork. We play defense only. Understand?" Storm's voice echoed in the room once more before she called out the name of the program and the grey metallic walls faded away and a scene of destruction took it's place, fires burnt in buildings, cars over turned, and there were thuds coming from the distance. She had to focus to keep her vision from letting her see through the simulation then when she found the focus again, she saw the teams running forward as Storm lifted herself in the air.

"Take care of yahself in here, _cheri. _The danger in here is as real as anywhere else._" _Gambit said before taking off after the teams.

She stared after him in confusion, then spun around as she heard the thuds behind her. Coming from the destruction, where she had previously entered the Danger Room, was a six story robot, setting it's focus on her. She didn't wait around long after she immediately saw what would happen if she did, and took off running after Gambit.

Two hours later she limped out of the room her arm slung over Gambit's shoulders gripping her side in pain. "What did I tell you when we began, _petite_?" He chuckled softly as he started for the infirmary.

"Shut up, Cajun. Where were you?! Didn't Storm say to take care of your partner?!"

"That she did, and Gambit was there, I blew that sentinel to pieces for ya'll." He said smirking down at her.

"I said to protect your partners, that means take care of them so they don't get hit with the high powered lasers!" Storm said racing out to help get her to the medical area of the basement.

"Hey, she could have seen it if she were payin' attention." He reasoned.

"It don't work like that." Cassandra said, grimacing yet again.

"Your abilities don't let you see the simulation do they?" Storm asked moving into the correct room.

She shook her head. "Not really no. I can see through illusions. Simulations are just like illusions. Clairvoyance, latin for clear sight."

Gambit helped her onto the bed, and took a step back considering her statement for a long while. "Your incident with Jean yesterday didn't help mattahs much did it, _mon cheri_?"

Cassandra raised an eyebrow as she painfully peeled off the leather jacket. "No. it didn't." She winced her way through the bandaging process, on her side, and having her ankle wrapped, then groaned when she was given crutches. "Are you kidding me?"

Storm shook her head. "Nope. Stay off the ankle for the rest of the day. During your meeting with Charles, prop it. And here." She dropped two tablets into Cassandra's hand. "Motrin to keep the swelling down. It's just twisted, but we don't need it getting worse."

Cassandra sighed, and took the pills swallowing them with a drink of water before turning to leave the room. She ignored the concerned stares from the other team members as she made her way to the elevators to make herself a small lunch, and head to Charles' office. Blissfully she didn't run into anyone else, and Charles didn't ask any questions during their two hours they worked together to help return her focus.

At the end of the session with Charles, she felt slightly better about her visions, and went immediately to her room. She meditated for another two hours, took more Motrin, and unwrapped her ankle. There wasn't any swelling, and no bruising, and she was able to stand on it no problem again. Her side however hurt like hell. Taking a laser to her oblique wasn't top priority on her list, and if it didn't heal fast, she'd be out of commission for the upcoming confrontation with Magneto and Jean.... no... the Phoenix. Nothing in that body anymore was Jean. It had her face, her voice, her powers, but it wasn't her.

During her meditation, she had seen that the only way to stop the Phoenix was to kill her. And the only one to do that... was Logan. He'd be devastated, but she knew she'd have to break it to him some how, she only hoped that it wouldn't be in the heat of the battle.

There were other things she had seen about Logan, none of his past however, his future, with her. And she absolutely hated that she couldn't tell if it was wishful thinking or fact.

During her dinner she briefly sensed Logan close to the kitchen, but saw his choices moving through his mind, he chose to stay away. Why she wasn't entirely sure, but Logan was Logan, no one would make him do anything, and no one could make any sense of him. She made small talk with Siren and Kitty through the meal, discussing her screw up in the Danger Room, but she was determined to get back into it the following morning. No one would tell her different.

And the week wore on. She followed the same routine, not seeing Logan except for brief glances as she exited the locker rooms the third, fourth, and fifth days she had made it through the simulation without a scratch on her. A week passed, Magneto must have been biding his time building up his army before attacking Worthington Labs.

And while she stuck to her strict schedule of Eat, Train, Eat, work with Xavier, meditate, eat, sleep, her team mates definitely did not. Bobby and Rogue had gone to the New York branch of the labs to check out the scene there, only to have a run in with Pyro, exposing the two of them before Rogue pulled Bobby away. Each day she saw the choice Rogue would make, and it saddened her that she would want rid of her ability so much. There were options, and though she gave them to her new found friend, Rogue refused to accept it. Logan had disappeared from the mansion for a few days, having gone to find Jean and try to talk sense into her, it didn't work. But he did, however gain knowledge that Magneto held high numbers on his side.

Ten days after she came to the school, she decided to stop her strict schedule. After her meditation, she decided on a late dinner, and moved back down to the Danger Room instead of the kitchen with Kitty. Each day that passed, she knew that there was something increasingly wrong with her abilities. She was able to control them again, but the pressure building in her mind would drive her crazy. It was like a migraine building, or a sinus headache, she had to allow her abilities to run free in a un-simulated run in the Danger Room.

She moved to the control room after changing into her uniform once more, (of which, she still had not gotten a permanent one) and searched through the programs, then grinned when she saw one that would work. "Logan, level ten." She chose that one, and moved to the room, and instantly allowed her abilities to push forward, shoving her a full thirty seconds into the future, she saw every move the room threw at her, lasers, blades, obstacles, and maneuvered around each expertly. Though the pressure didn't lessen when the run stopped. She called out for the computer to run the program again, and again, and again. Four time she moved through the program, the final time asking the computer to randomize it for her. And still it didn't help. Irritated, she turned to leave the room when the pressure built so greatly in her mind she exploded. Literally. Electricity poured out of her body, dropping her to her hands and knees, it arched through her body, bounced off of her, returned to her, and ricocheted off of everything before returning back, only to be shot back out of her again.

She heard the door opening, and suddenly the pressure alleviated, and she heard Charles' voice in her mind. _Cassandra, are you still with us?_

_What... the hell.... was THAT?! _ She turned wild eyes up to Charles who was flanked by Storm and Logan. The woman was staring at her in awe, Logan... Logan was terrified.

_I believe the pressure you've been feel was your abilities expanding, Cassandra._

_How?_

_The energy given off by your brain in seeing and repressing what you do gives you added electrical currents in your mind. The rest of us can deal with the energy by using our abilities, yours just creates more currents in your mind. The only way to release it..._Charles' mind trailed off, and she saw what had happened to her.

"Electrokinesis." She said swallowing roughly.

"We must work even closer with you. Myself and Storm."

She nodded. "Until then?"

"If you feel the need to relieve the pressure, do what you did tonight. Come to the danger room. Allow it to flow freely." Xavier's voice was soft, reassuring.

She nodded again, but stayed where she was on the floor, making sure that the pressure was gone before she gained her feet again. The three older X-men watched her carefully as she moved toward the door. "I'm... I need to shower...." She turned back to the locker rooms and started for the showers. She only hoped that the water wouldn't aggravate the slight static she still felt on her skin.

_Logan_

_(A slight rewind) Danger Room Control Room_

He admittedly had been avoiding Cassandra, wanting to get her off of his mind, her scent out of his nose, but it never worked. Each time she left the showers from the Danger Room, there it was, Cucumbers, Watermelon, and vanilla. And each time he ran his own program. That night however, he needed two workouts. He had been heading to the Danger Room to run his level ten program, and much to his surprise, there was Cassandra calling out to the computer to restart the program. He watched in awe as she out maneuvered the computer every time it threw something new at her, then called out a third, and a fourth time, each time, impressing him further with her ability to take the computer programs, with the room's natural defenses so easily, and yet, the first two times she had been in the simulation she had come out injured.

Oh he knew about that, and wanted to kill the Cajun for not watching over her like he was supposed to in those runs. Gambit caught on after he threatened his family jewels if Cassandra came out of the Danger Room harmed again.

He was about to move to the door of the room when she suddenly stopped and dropped to her knees, electricity erupted from her body, and he honestly feared for her life. Immediately he mentally called for Charles, and ran to the door of the room. He got the door open, and moved into the room, read to drag her out when the electricity found him, and ran through his body, conducted by the adamantium on his bones. He was only released when Storm appeared in the room, calming the lightning, pulling it into her own body and away from Cassandra.

His eyes stayed on her, making sure she was breathing. Miraculously, she was. He wasn't sure how it was even possible, but he waited to go to her, and when she looked up at them, he could see relief in her eyes. She was okay. He breathed his own sigh of relief, then heard her speak. She had gained a new power? It packed quite a punch, that was for damn sure.

And yet, she still didn't move from the floor. He held himself back just long enough and when he was ready to go help her, she pushed herself up, moving past him, he flinched back from her as he could still feel the static coming off of her. He watched her moved down the hall and back into the locker rooms, then turned his demanding eyes on the Professor. "What happened?"

"As I told her, her clairvoyance created too much electric energy in her mind. Her body had to get rid of it somehow. If manifested itself into this new ability. Though you might want to stay away from her." Charles smiled softly at him as he turned his chair and started back up the hallway.

"I should keep an eye on her." Storm said, moving to the locker room.

"I'll do it." he said intercepting her.

She raised her eyebrows. "Logan, she could electrocute you."

"She just relieved the tension in her mind. I think I can handle it." He stared Storm down for long moments until he could hear the shower running in the locker room. He knew she wouldn't be able to hear it, but he could. "Look, Ororo, don't treat me with kid gloves just because Charles does. I can handle myself, I've been handling myself a lot longer then you've been alive. Do you think you could put a little bit of trust in me?"

That seemed to break through to her. She sighed, and backed down. "Fine. But if you get hurt..."

"I won't."

"but if you do... don't come cryin' to me." She turned after giving him what seemed to be a look of warning before she turned and started for the elevator to take her to the upper levels of the school.

He sighed, and turned, moving through the locker room, to the shower area. He stopped just inside the door, his eyes on the only stall that had the curtain closed. "Cass?" He heard her gasp, and couldn't help the smirk that played across his lips. "You okay?"

"Yeah, Logan, I'm fine." She got quiet for a moment, though he could have sworn her heard her sniffle slightly. Her voice didn't betray any sort of crying, it was even and steady, and really damn convincing. A long stream of water fell in the shower, and he had to fight back the images flooding into his head of where that water was running off of her from. "You left."

"I'm back though." he countered quickly.

"But you could have been killed."

He frowned, what did she really care if he lived or died?

"Because you're the only one I trust."

Damn it. "I didn't say that out loud, Cass."

She groaned, and he heard a soft thud. "Sorry."

"Why am I the only one you trust?" There were plenty of people he knew she stayed close to, Kitty, Rogue, Siren, Charles...

"You're the only man here I completely trust... besides Charles. You're the only one that's seen... that knows...." She sighed. "Everything."

"No one else knows? Not even..."

she cut him off. "No. and I don't want them knowing about my past, Logan. We all have our pasts, it's just a matter of do we want anyone to know? I let you know because I trust you. And... because I needed you to respect me, and stop calling me 'kid' all the time."

He chuckled, he couldn't help it. "I may have to call you that just to piss you off."

"I might electrocute you now. Be careful." her voice hardened when she spoke, and it took him back.

"It's a useful power, Cass. When you learn to control it, you'll be amazing." He said smirking.

"Why are you so far away?" She poked her face out from behind the curtain then, water ran down the bridge of her nose, her hair was slicked back from her forehead.

_Temptation._ He rose an eyebrow, and didn't speak, instead focused on the choices he had in that moment. Most of which, all but two, included going into the shower with her. He smirked then when her face turned red, and she disappeared behind the curtain again.

"Never mind." She said, her voice shook timidly, and his smirk widened into a grin. "Why did you leave?"

"Back to that huh?" He heard her hum a yes, then sighed as he leaned back against the wall. "To find out what Magneto has."

She didn't speak for a long moment and when she did, it was one word. "Liar."

He frowned, he hadn't even put the option in his mind to tell her the truth. "No."

She poked her face out from behind the curtain again, soap was lathered into her hair that time, and he growled low in his throat, shifting uncomfortably at the images going through his head again. "yes you are. Why did you really leave, Logan? Because of me right?"

Damn her to hell. She looked hurt by her assumptions, and he sighed again. "Cass, finish your damn shower. It was because of you, but not the reasons you're thinking."

"You don't know what I'm thinking." She said defensively before disappearing behind the curtain again.

"Sure I do, you're thinking that I was so disgusted by your past that I left to distance myself from something as pathetic as you." She looked out the curtain again, the lathered soap was gone from the front of her hair, her mouth was open slightly in disbelief. "But you're wrong." He motioned his eyes for her to disappear again, and waited until she did so before he continued speaking again. And then he smelled it full force then, the scent, Cucumbers and watermelon. He was missing the vanilla. He groaned, and shifted again, moving closer to the door. "I left to try to clear my head, but it doesn't seem to work."

"Clear your head?"

"Yeah." Logan sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.

"From _what_?"

He made the quick decision, and moved down the rows of stalls until he stood just outside her curtain. "Give me the shampoo."

Her face poked out of the curtain again. "What?"

"Give me the shampoo." he waited and took the bottle when her hand shot out from the barrier. "Figures." he grumbled as he read the label, Cucumber Melon. "Where's the vanilla?" He pushed the top of the bottle behind the curtain, and she took it, her face appearing a moment later.

"Why are you so concerned with the products I use?"

"Just tell me" he grated out.

"Spray in my locker. What... why...." She shook her head, confused.

"Don't worry about it." He saw her face go red again, and he had to wonder which choice she was blushing at. He wrestled with his conscious for a long moment before he braced himself against the tile beside the curtain and leaned in close to her. "Your scent is incredibly sexy. No one smells like you, it's intoxicating, and it makes me want to do things to you that you've probably only dreamed of." She turned redder, good. "After this is over, all of it, you and I are going to talk. But not a moment before, got it?"

She nodded, and he could smell her feminine scent incredibly strong, God damn it she was getting aroused. He pushed himself back away, and almost ran out of the shower room. "Hurry up." He yelled back at her. Two? no... three sessions in the Danger Room. And a really long... really COLD shower afterward.

**Yes yes yes.... makin' ya'll anxious, I'm evil, I know. When it happens it'll be HAWT. Honestly it will. **

**Reviews are worth a little peak into Logan's images of what he'd like to do to Cass.... : Enter girlie giggle here:**


	11. Distractions

**A/N No character at the beginning of this, because I need both sides of them here and I don't want to reiterate. So this is from both Cass and Logan.**

**Chapter 10**: Distractions

The cookie sheet she had been scrubbing splashed into the water as she gave up on it, and wrung the wash rag out before she turned to wipe down the island in the middle of the room from the dinner that was sloppily eaten by two ravenous boys, Bobby and Piotr only a half hour before. She was growing restless with the longer and longer days, and in order to keep her sanity most of the time after letting off the excess energy in the danger room after meditating, she had taken to cleaning... intensely cleaning every room she came across. The room she shared with Kitty and Siren, the younger girls had thought she was going insane when she had finally found the cleaning materials under the bathroom sink and went to work scrubbing the tub and toilet. Then she turned her attention to their dirty laundry after that, she stayed up until 2 AM that night making their room immaculate. The girls slept in other rooms that night.

The next she cleaned the locker room and shower area. What she really wanted to do was take a tooth brush to every tile, but figured that might be going a little too far.

When she tackled the kitchen after cooking a meal for the X-men team, and realized that the pans were all in need of serious scrubbing, she had done all of the dishes, wiped out the cupboards, and then started on the cookie sheets, when it finally hit her what she was really doing. Directing her sexual frustration somewhere other then at her desired target. It made all perfect sense to her, but she wasn't going to stop.

She turned and threw the rag onto the island and scrubbed the counter as a whooshing signalled her to Nightcrawler's entrance. She glanced up at him offering him a small smile as he crouched on a chair by the table. "Hi, Kurt."

"Vat are you doing?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Trying like hell to direct energy to something constructive." She frowned, and pressed her lips together determinedly as she focused on a spot of spaghetti sauce that had started to dry in the grout between the blue tile.

"Cleaning the Mansion one room at a time?" He smiled warmly at her as she stopped and looked up at him.

She laughed softly, and nodded, readjusting the rag on her hand, pressing her nail into the grout, smirking when the food came up. "I guess."

"Storm told me about your new ability." He stopped when she looked up at him, her eyes asking 'yeah so?' "Are you happy about it?"

She shrugged. "I don't know really. I've become a danger if I don't release that energy in a safe environment, but I guess we can be assured that if the power ever goes out you'll all have me as a personal generator." Her voice had taken on a tone of sarcasm, and she sighed as she stopped and she dropped the rag onto the island. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I seem to be snapping a lot lately. I don't mean it."

"Vat is wrong?" He asked, moving off the chair to lean against the opposite side of the island.

She smirked up at him. "Nothing I really want to bother you with. I'm not sure anyone would really understand, and it's not something I really want to discuss with anyone."

"Are you sure?" He asked, once again, a slight tilt to his head made her think of a child.

She smiled softly and nodded at him. "Yeah, Kurt. I promise I'm fine. Cleaning helps." _Not. _"I just want to finish up here and have a good night's sleep." _Lie. _"I've just been off since the power surge." _Because I've desperately wanted Logan to trap me in the shower and do naughty things to me. _God it was a good thing no telepath was near her right then.

"As long as you're sure." He smiled, and reached across the counter to pat her wrist affectionately. He offered her a smile, then disappeared leaving the stench of sulfur behind.

"Great... now I gotta get that smell out of here." she turned, and let the water drain from the sink, and started running it again, adding in more dish soap, shaking her hand in the water before she turned and went in search of a mop and a broom.

She wasn't disturbed again until she had the floor mopped and the kitchen smelled like oranges. That was when the object of her desire decided to interrupt her distraction. She turned a fraction of a second before he stepped on her newly mopped floor with muddy shoes. "STOP!"

His foot hovered over the wet tiles. "What?"

She waved her hand over the floor. "Wet. And your shoes are muddy. There is no way in hell all that hard work is going to go for nothing."

He frowned. "They aren't muddy."

"Dirt on your shoes, water on the floor, equals...?" She trailed off letting him come to his own conclusions.

He groaned, and kicked the boots off in the hallway. "Better?"

"Long as you don't mind wet feet, yes." she turned, trying to ignore the images and fantasies flooding into her mind as he moved into the kitchen, and started for the cupboards behind her.

"Why are you mopping the kitchen floor?" He looked up at the clock on the wall. "At midnight?"

"It's something to do." She reasoned, grabbing the mop, wringing it out before shoving it back in the closet with the rest of the cleaning materials.

He rose an eyebrow as he watched her. "Sure, if you say so." He sniffed the air, and groaned softly as he understood the real reason why she was cleaning at midnight. "What's on your mind, Cass?"

"Nothin'." She answered quickly. Oh yeah, there was plenty on her mind, none she was going to share with HIM of all people.

"Right so that isn't female arousal just pourin' off of you right now?" he smirked as she dropped the cookie sheet she was back to assaulting with the rag. "Along with... frustration, aggravation..."

She turned and glared at him. "Annoyance?" Then a smirk spread on her lips, almost as if she were trying to make her rebuttal sweet and innocent.

_My ass_. He thought. "Don't hear you denying it."

"So?" She turned her back to him again, trying to ignore the visions starting to flood into her mind. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against him, his hands roaming over the front of her body, dipping lower.... She snapped herself out of it, bringing herself back to the reality of her world before a moan could escape her lips.

Finally deciding that she'd had enough scrubbing, she rinsed off the sheet, and stacked it in the dish drainer in the dual sink.

"Charles will be happy to see his kitchen lookin' spiffy like this." He grinned at her as he gave the back handed compliment. She really had done a good job. Though he doubted the kitchen was much worse off before she started, it smelled good at least. The orange floor cleaner was masking her normal scent, and he found that oddly comforting. But then she turned, and there was a strand of hair that escaped the clip holding her hair back out of her face, the little bit that rested against the side of her face had turned her from the woman he respected into a woman who knew how to clean a house, and still looked damn good afterward. And not to mention, what he heard from the rest of the team, she knew how to cook too. That in and of itself was appealing. He knew he told her that he wanted to wait until after the resolution with the Jean thing to speak to her about what he wanted from her, but he couldn't hold back anymore.

He moved from his spot behind the island, where Bobby Drake stood a few months before when Stryker and his men invaded the house, and stood in front of her. She looked up at him almost as if she didn't expect to see him still standing there a moment from then. Then she frowned at him when she realized he really had moved.

"What?" She asked nervously. There were so many different things he could say to her right then, and she wasn't sure what exactly she truly wanted to hear from him.

He sighed, and his eyes moved to the lock of hair, and he reached up, twirling it around his finger for a moment before he tucked it behind her ear, his fingertips trailing her jaw line settling on her chin, lifing her face up gently to make her look at him. "I...."

_Love you, want you, don't want to see you again, hate the very sight of you, am repulsed by you. _The choices flooded quickly through her mind, but he didn't say any of them. He didn't say anything. She was shocked at first, but there it was, the one thing she had been waiting for since she showed him her past. He really, and truly lowered his lips to hers, and pressed against her slowly his hand moving to her back holding her to him.

He wasn't sure what prompted him to just say 'to hell with it' and kiss her, maybe it was the fact that he was tired of being pushed away by Jean, maybe it was the desire he felt from her from the moment he met her in the airport, the desire he felt for her since smelling her. But he wasn't fighting it anymore, he had enough repressing everything he felt toward her, even if it was the desire to have her body naked and pressed against him in the most intimate way possible.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, holding him to her, she was giving herself more and more into the kiss, and her hips moved against his in such a restless manner, he couldn't help his hands moving to her rear to pick her up, letting her legs wrap around him as he turned and pressed her back against the wall. His hand moved up her leg, gripping her thigh roughly as he moved his pelvis against hers. She moaned low in her throat and thrust her tongue against his. He briefly considered tearing her clothes off right there when he smelled Cajun coming their way.

He pulled back so quickly, she dropped to the floor. He caught her before she fell completely on her butt, and smirked down at her. "Sorry, sweetheart, but I don't need the Cajun seeing me like that."

She blinked blankly up at him, but nodded in understanding. "You just... you did just... you..."

He smiled and leaned against her resting his forehead against hers. "Yes, and when we get a moment, I'm planning on doing a hell of a lot more then kissing you."

Her eyes widened in shock, then heard footsteps in the hallway, she swallowed roughly, and shifted uncomfortably, her clothing had suddenly felt entirely too constricting for her, then heard footsteps and she shoved Logan's chest, thankfully he moved, and Gambit came into the kitchen raising an eyebrow.

"Hey _Mon Cheri_. The Wolverine crowdin' ya?" He smirked, and waved a playing card in front of him. "Ah could take care of that for ya."

"You could try, Cajun." Logan growled, literally growled at Remy.

"Stop the pissing contest." Cassandra said, moving toward the door. "You, Gambit, aren't getting any of this. So stop trying. There's a girl upstairs however that would work out perfect for you."

"Ahh, _cheri_ you just won't give spice a chance." He grinned down at her.

Suddenly the pressure built in her head too much, she was going to explode again, she backed away, terrified. "Get away..."

Both Remy and Logan frowned in confusion, but it was Remy that spoke. "_Cheri?_ What'sa matter?"

Logan's eyes widen, he knew that look, he felt the static rising around them, the hair on his arms were standing on end, his eyes were fixed on Cassandra's green eyes. They were sparking. "Cajun... get back." He took a step toward her. "Cass, calm down."

"I... I am... Danger room... Storm... get... STORM!" She dropped second before he covered her with his body. He couldn't believe he was protecting the Cajun, but he wasn't going to let her believe that she caused anyone undue harm. Her electricity surged through his body, and he yelled out in agony as he felt the electricity moving over his metal skeleton, then it was gone. He felt his abilities working to fix the burns through his body, and he pushed himself back as he stared into her terror stricken eyes. "Cass?"

"You tried to help me..." Her voice was full of awe.

"Did you get it all out?"

She shook her head. "No... I heard you yell... I pulled it back..."

"You pulled it back?" He smiled down at her as she nodded. "Been practicing?"

She grinned. "I haven't been able to do it until now."

He smirked back at her. "I think I know what we have to do to help you control that sooner."

An exasperated sigh sounded from the kitchen. "Mind tellin' Gambit just what the hell that was?"

Logan grinned down at her. "I think our new secret weapon."

**Reviews are better then steamy kisses in the kitchen! **

**Sorry for the shortness.**


	12. Warzone

**Thanks to everyone that reviewed and added to their favorite story alerts! It makes me happy and makes me want to get more out to you guys! **

**I'm going to warn you now that You all pry won't get updates on the weekends, more during the week because I spend my time on the weekends with my husband. But during the week you'll get a lot of chapters**

**BTW Reviews, make me very happy, though Ceruleankitten was right, it was sacreligious to compare logan's kisses to reviews.... but they're damn close to making me happy. **

**Certh, my word doc doesn't catch the accents very well LOL thanks for catching that, I knew it didn't look right. And the clairvoyance thing, it has latin roots, so instead of going long winded she went right to the source. Thanks for catching it though! **

**And yes... I am Very evil, Magneto would love to recruit my evil mind to the Brotherhood LMAO! My husband is kinda giving me input. As long as Jean is still alive, logan won't give himself fully to anyone else, it's the way he is, so i'm trying to be as true to the characters as possible :D it's difficult having wolverine in your mind, takes you to some dark places. **

**Enough of my long winded explanations and such, let me give you what you all came for, the next chapter shall I?**

**Chapter 11: Warzone**

_Cassandra _

_Danger Room_

Cassandra wasn't entirely sure that Logan's idea would be the best idea, but he was determined. She stood before him, surrounded by Storm, Cyclops, Rogue, Iceman, Shadowcat, Colossus, Gambit, Night Crawler, and Beast in a simulation-less room, Logan stood closer to her then the rest, his eyes boring into hers. She was terrified, but his determination won out, especially when Charles felt it was the best idea to have her ready for the upcoming battle, which her visions wouldn't give her an exact time frame when it would happen.

"Go ahead, Cass." Logan spoke softly to her nodding slowly.

She shook her head. "I can't."

He nodded, "Yes you can. You're not going to hurt me. Let it go."

Gambit smirked, and spoke up from behind her. "Maybe she needs some persuasion?"

"It might direct at you, I can't."

"Ahh, _petite, _You worry too much, and who's to say ah wouldn't like it?"

Irritation coursed through her, the pressure started to build. She shook her head, trying to push it back down. "Stop it, Gambit."

"Ah much rather think Gambit would like it, _mon cheri_. Ah would like it a great deal."

Her hands flew to her head, holding onto herself. She closed her eyes trying to concentrate as the irritation and pressure grew. "Stop it! Please!"

"I don't think she can do it." A Russian accent came to her ears then. "This is wasting our time."

It pushed her over the edge, she couldn't hold anything back and she exploded. She could hear Logan's voice commanding her to look at him, she opened her eyes and saw the electricity moving between them, his hand was on her shoulder, conducting the electricity out of her and into the floor, he was wincing, but only slightly.

"Concentrate on me, Cass." Logan was saying to her. "It won't hurt me." He was standing, pulling her to her feet, his hand moved down her arm to her hand, slowly his claws began to descend, and the electricity jumped right to the metal and he backed up, his hand leaving hers, the electricity started to arc wildly and she panicked.

"Logan!" Her voice pleaded with him.

"I know you don't want to hurt anyone, concentrate on me. You can do it." He nodded to her, giving her his trust.

She forced herself to focus as the pressure started to lessen, and closed her eyes, she could feel the electricity around her, she focused harder pulled it into her, she felt it running through her, and she pushed it down, through her arms, into her hands. She barely registered the gasps around her as she slowly opened her eyes. There were balls of electric energy in her hands. They swirled around and inside themselves, as she stared, she concentrated on shapes in her mind, and every shape she envisioned, the electricity took it.

"Wow..." the word took her focus away, and as she turned, the electricity left her hand, and arced outward into Logan, who grunted as he staggered back.

Logan grinned at Cyclops and Storm. "I told you it would work. She is too protective of everyone. It forced her to focus, to learn."

Cassandra spun, and confronted Gambit and Colossus, "Don't ever tell me what I can't do again."

Colossus merely smiled at her. "You must be irritated to access the ability. We were told to frustrate and irritate you if you could not access it on command."

She spun again, and stared down Logan. "You put them in danger?!"

"I knew you wouldn't really hurt them. You are too fiercely protective over everyone you come across." He smiled, shrugging slightly as if it wasn't important.

Rogue smiled at her then. "And I was here to make sure you didn't lose control. Just in case."

Cassandra's eyes widened. "what... you were gonna..." Her eyes flew to Rogue's bare hand.

The girl nodded. "Yup, wouldn't have had a choice, it would have been for only a few moments. Ah wouldn't have killed ya.' But you wouldn't have lost control."

Her eyes moved around the group, and she realized all of them had the silent faith in her. "You all believe that?"

Logan moved into her sight then. "Again. Channel that irritation, your frustration into attacking. Focus on me."

It took her three more times before she was able to focus any irritation into a tangible explosion. It radiated outward from her body before collapsing back in and out through her hands into bolts that shot into Logan, throwing him back between Night Crawler and Beast.

"Impressive, Cassandra." Beast complimented with a grin.

"Do it again." Logan said as he came back up to her smirking. Something in the tone of his voice made her believe that this wasn't merely a training 'experiment' for her. His voice was gruff, extremely alluring to her.

It also gave her enough irritation over the fact that he kept making her feel like he wanted her, then running away, instantly she focused on the emotion, and pushed it from her mind, down her arms into her hands, it shot out of her palms and into Logan's outstretched claws. He grunted from the initial burn of the hit, then gasped as it continued to move through him, and he stepped closer to her, an almost primal, feral... aroused look in his eyes. Even more irritation, more pressure built up in her, and more electricity channeled out of her moving out through her skin, creating an electric field around her as she moved closer to him.

"Now pull it back." He growled out.

She swallowed, and focused hard on burying her emotions, the power that was pushed out from her body. He groaned softly as he waited for her to find the control, it took long agonizing minutes and she saw Colossus and Rogue starting to move toward her. Logan's hand came up, stopping them. "No. let her do it, she can find it."

She whimpered softly as she continually grew irritated over not being able to find the control, trying to tuck that exact emotion deep within her at the same time, it wasn't productive. "I can't... Logan, let Rogue..."

"NO!" He growled out. "You can do it. Calm yourself down, Cassandra, trust me, you are not hurting me. If Rogue touches you, she will get hurt. You don't want to harm them, trust me, Cassandra." He moved closer to her, only a matter of inches before he stopped, and he continued speaking in a whisper. "You can do it, sweetheart." Then, he winked. She felt his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs moving slowly, calmingly over her tank top.

Damn him, but it worked like a charm. She buried the emotions down inside of her, her electricity pulled back.

He grinned back at her. "Do it again."

Storm rose an eyebrow. "Should we leave you two alone?"

"I can't again, Logan." She said, the stress her mind had taken trying to practice, she could tell if she did it anymore, she would pass out.

Logan nodded down at her, then smirked over his shoulder at Storm. "Let's run a simulation. All of us in here."

Storm smiled back then rose an eyebrow. "Survival level six. Run program."

The room changed, a forest suddenly grew around them, gun fire sounded in the distance, and she turned in the direction. "The purpose here?"

Logan growled low in her ear, his breath moving onto her cheek. "Put the intruders on defense. Everyone for themselves. But stick near me."

He took her hand, and moved toward the sound. It took a half hour to run the program, and by the end of it, she, Shadowcat, Night Crawler, and Iceman lay on the floor panting. That was when Charles came into the room, staring intently at Storm, Cyclops and Logan.

"Suit up." Cyclops spoke quietly. "Magneto's making his move."

Logan was suddenly distant from her. He quickly moved to the locker rooms, changing while Storm took her arm. "Come on, sweetie, it's time you got your own." She led Cassandra into the woman's locker room, and gestured to a box on one of the benches.

When Cassandra was suited up, black leather encompassed her body, cut with light blue and white trim. She moved to stare at herself in front of the mirror, her hair was pulled back into a pony tail, the leather hugged her body, making her chest seem larger then it was, though she accepted the small change. It squeezed her waist line, though the material was still pliable enough to allow her movement. She turned and looked at her butt in the mirror, it didn't look bad. Her eyes moved to the doorway reflected in the mirror before looking straight on at Logan staring at her, in his own uniform, body hugging black leather trimmed in yellow. "What?"

He grinned, and moved into the room, and pulled the door shut behind him, still keeping a good distance away from her. "It looks good on you. It fits."

"Of course it fits, it was made for me." She grinned, teasing him.

He smirked, and sighed as he moved away from the door, faintly she heard the soft click of the lock clicking into place. "You know exactly what I mean, Cass." His eyes bore into hers, desire, regret, irritation, pain, anger, it was all there. She wasn't sure what they were directed at, especially since they both knew that they would be seeing Jean when they arrived at their destination. "You belong here."

Her eyebrow rose. 'here'? Where 'here'? The possibilities of what he could possibly mean raced through her head, but when she scanned the possible future of choices, she couldn't see him speaking. He just stood there. It was irritating. "Be more specific."

He shook his head. "I can't."

"I need you to be more specific." Damn her voice. Damn it all to hell, she was begging him, she _hated, _ absolutely _hated_ that he was making her beg.

He sighed, and moved closer, and just to give him a bit of the irritation she was feeling she backed away from him. He kept coming however until her back hit the wall. She didn't drop, there were no visions, no memories, only him, him and his intoxicating presence. His hand came up and cupped her cheek, his thumb moving softly against her skin.

He inhaled deeply, and his eyes closed as a smile formed on his lips before he leaned down, resting his forehead to hers. "Do you really need to ask?"

She wanted to scream, to cry, to laugh, but nothing came out, she only nodded, her nose bumping his slightly as she did so.

"Sweetheart, you don't see people as well as you say you do then." His eyes searched hers for a long moment before his drifted shut, and she felt his lips brush against hers lightly. She couldn't help allowing her eyes to go shut as well, as she tilted her head back and leaned up against him. Both of their breaths hitched, they both stopped breathing for a long moment as the tender kiss sent shock waves through the both of them.

And then all reason, knowledge, duty, gravity, abilities, war, everything, just simply everything went out the window, forgotten, unimportant as the world shrank around them. Holding them together, it was stronger then anything she had felt before, stronger then his arms that were pulling her to him, his fingers wound into her hair, pressing against her scalp as his lips suddenly crashed onto hers, and his tongue darted into her mouth, completely stealing her ability to breathe. He was all that mattered.

Her arms moved around his neck, her fingers tangled into his hair, her nails raked against his scalp in return for the gentleness he was exerting on her in the embrace. Against her own will, she felt her body arcing up against him, molding itself against him, his hand was blazing hot as it moved down her back to lift her once again against him, a primal growl escaping his lips as he felt her legs wrapping around his waist, and the passion moving through them seemed to ignite the candle flame that had burned into a blazing inferno that would take a miracle to break through.

She felt his hand moving against her through the leather, and she couldn't resist moving herself against him, creating what little friction she could through the uniform, moaning loudly when she couldn't seem to attain the pleasure she wanted to get.

She broke the kiss only momentarily to reposition her lips, whispering his name on a longing moan when he broke fully from her. "No.... no damn it don't."

"Use it, we'll finish when this bullshit is finished." he growled against her lips as he pressed back into it, and she wrapped herself tighter around him shaking her head, rebuking his statement as best as she could, moaning with desire as he pulled away once more. "Cass, honey, I promise. Use the frustration against Magneto."

His eyes were filled with regret and longing as he lowered her feet back to the floor keeping his hands on her waist to help steady her. "You still didn't answer...."

He chuckled. "The kiss spoke volumes, sweetheart. But if you really need to hear it.... with me. You belong with me. You always will." He pulled away from her and returned to the door again unlocking it.

"Logan?" He stopped and turned to her, waiting for her to speak again. She couldn't explain why she hesitated, but she had to tell him, he had to go in prepared for what was about to happen. "You're going to have to kill Jean."

He was taken back, but he steeled himself and nodded. "You've seen it." He didn't ask, and she really didn't need to give him the nod she did to confirm it, but she did anyway. "Thank you for warning me." His voice was soft, it was true gratitude.

"Logan, I know I'm not like her, but I do care about you. I want to make you happy, I come with baggage, and you know that, I..." She stopped as he was suddenly before her, placing a finger over her lips.

"Stop, sweetheart. You _aren't_ anything like her. It's true. But that's why I return your feelings. She made her decision, and now I've made mine. You are mine, Cass. You belong with me. If she somehow survives, it won't change that." His blue eyes bore into hers, conveying every word he spoke straight into her soul. She had no choice but to believe everything he said. Especially when he pulled her to him, and crushed his lips onto hers for a long moment before he abruptly pulled back, and tugged on her hand. "Let's go."

_Logan_

_Blackbird_

He had to pull her all the way to the jet, and to be honest, he was terrified of having to kill Jean to come out of it with everyone unscathed, but he would, especially if it meant being able to continue those kisses he had shared with her the night before and only moments before. He couldn't resist himself, and despite the fact that no, Cassandra was not Jean, not even close to her, everything about her pulled him in. He was done ignoring it, he was letting the animal in him come out, and claim what he wanted. It was just a pain in the ass that he had to go fight in another war before completely making her his.

Half way across the states, he stared at her as she sent her sight ahead, checking for any impossible outcomes they may have to accept. He felt that Jean's fate was unacceptable, but he wasn't going to deny that anything Cass saw was anything but the truth. She had no reason to lie to him. If it was what she saw, it was what would happen, and he would do it.

Finally the glow from her eyes subsided, and Storm spoke up from the pilot's chair. "So?"

"Magneto has friends, lots and lots of friends." She said, a slight hint of fear in her voice. He still didn't take his eyes off of her when he heard Cyclops groan beside Storm. "We have more though."

He frowned, something about it didn't seem to fit with her previous comment, but Iceman beat him to speaking.

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "We have more people now then if Charles never came to me."

"What do you mean?" Beast asked from the seat across from him as he spun the chair around.

"If the Professor never came for me... it'd only be you, Logan, Storm, Kitty, Piotr, and Bobby. So you see... we have more." It made sense to him, perfect sense. She had talked Cyclops out of going to Alkalai Lake by himself, he must have been doomed to die there if he went alone. Which could have taken a lot of players out of the battle.

"Where was I?" Rogue asked, leaning forward in her own seat.

"You took the cure." She said simply, looking back at the girl, a saddened look in her eyes. Then her gaze moved back to Cyclops. "He died." To Night Crawler, "You left, not wanting to engage in the fight against Jean. Gambit..." She turned to look back at him. "You felt no desire to come back after hearing about Scott dying, and then... there's me. We have five more people then you wouldn't have if it...." She trailed off, then suddenly because very interested in her nails.

He however wasn't going to let her get off the hook that easily. Logan grinned back at her as he spoke up. "If it weren't for you. The odds would have been drastically against us." His smile widened as he saw a blush creep onto her cheeks. But she nodded regardless. "Cass..." He waited to speak again until she looked up at him. "Remember what I told you." He had meant every word, she was his. He wanted to remind her of it before moving into the battle. Thankfully she did remember, and she smiled back at him in response.

"Everyone, get ready, it looks like the battle has begun without us." Storm's voice snapped him back to the task at hand. He straightened in his seat, and his eyes widened in horror as he saw the Golden Gate Bridge uprooted, and unceremoniously moved to allow transportation to what used to be Alcatraz island.

He swallowed roughly, and took a deep breath, this battle was going to take a lot of will power, and as he exited the jet, and saw Beast helping Cass onto his back, he hoped to God that the moments of training in the Danger Room had prepared her if only a little bit for what was going to happen.

The soldiers below them seemed startled that more mutants were coming into the battle, but as they positioned themselves between the soldiers and Magneto's mob; there honestly wasn't any better way to describe what stood waiting behind him, they visibly relaxed. As the eleven of them formed a line five on one side of him, five on the other, he suddenly got a rush of confidence. He had always been second guessed, this time, it was going to work to his.... no... their advantage.

"Hold this line!" He yelled out to the team. Both he and Scott were focused then on one person. The woman clothed in red with the fiery wings sprouted from her back. Jean.... no, no damn it, that wasn't Jean, the Phoenix. The thing that had taken over her and destroyed everything that she was. "Prophet?!" He felt her gaze move to him. "Locker room." He smirked as he could already see the lights above them swell in brightness. If he had to he would keep shouting things to her throughout this battle to keep her focus. "Focus, concentrate, you can do this!"

His gaze was firmly locked on Magneto then, and he allowed himself a satisfied smirk over the look of confusion in his eyes. The older man stood with Jean and Pyro, and... no... the woman he killed below the dam... she was there on Pyro's right, and she was staking her claim already, she wanted him. He wouldn't make the mistake again to allow her to have the upper hand, or second guess her.

There seemed to be an unspoken command, and mutants poured over the wreckage that was the end of the bridge and attacked.

_X-men_

_Ground Zero_

Each and every one of them threw themselves into the battle without hesitation. Charles had instilled every ounce of his beliefs of protecting the human race, and it showed with every movement and decision they made as they fought against their attackers.

Cassandra seemed to hang back, using her black belt moves on mutants that dared get too close to her, a fraction of a second before they actually reached her. She was biding her time, waiting to use the best of her abilities to her advantage.

Scott hated more then anything that Jean stood beside Magneto, and he knew right then he couldn't and definitely shouldn't do anything about it. He fought and fought hard with the soldiers protecting the labs, and waited, he knew he would get his chance with Jean, he only hoped it wouldn't cost him his life in the process.

Each did their part in the fight, until the higher level mutants started adding their strengths to the battle, then it was time to combine. Cars from the bridge flew into the air, exploding as Pyro ignited them. Scott, Storm and Gambit aided each other in using their abilities to keep them from doing much damage.

Cassandra barely moved from her spot in the line even though the others were then spread in no such order through what had become the battle field. They all saw her as a minimal threat, it only added to the irritation, and pressure building inside of her. Logan wanted her to focus, she was focusing. Intently so on the woman who seemed to stake her claim on Logan since seeing him forming the line with them. She did not move from her spot until both Pyro and Deathstrike moved from their position next to Magneto. Cassandra kept her sights on the woman, not paying attention to what would become the fire and ice battle, she was going to stop the woman from taking out their only hope of getting out of the battle alive.

Logan had lost himself in the battle taking out any mutant that dared to get in his way, until he felt the power surge behind him. As he grossly disfigured the mutant that braved taking him on, he turned in time to see a bolt of electricity erupt from Cassandra's palm and slam into the Asian woman. He couldn't help the pride that radiated from him as he saw his girl stalking down the woman that was like him. She never let up on the electricity as she backed the woman up. Magneto seemed shocked when he saw Cassandra displaying her power, and once more, the pride that grew in him for his girl made him all that more eager to end the battle and get her back to his room, his bed, and get all that damn leather off of the both of them.

He turned, and the pride grew even more as he saw Iceman over power Pyro. He allowed a nod and the acknowledgement that he had done right. The battle was turning in their favor, and as he turned back to help Cassandra take out Deathstrike... again.... he heard screams. Another pivot of his body and he saw soldiers exploding into nothingness. He ducked as items started levitating into the air, and dove behind a car beside Storm. Scott and Beast weren't far behind, as all of them caught sight of three needles caught in a gun clip. The Cure. The unspoken plan formed quickly in their minds, and he had to wonder if somehow Cassandra hadn't planted the thought in their minds, as everything fell into place for them.

Colossus was there, and gave him a toss to Magneto, the distraction worked perfectly as the mutant stopped him in the air, and sent him crashing to the ground. Then Beast slammed the cure into Magneto, but something was wrong... there were still three needles, no no no no no... that wasn't supposed to be part of the plan! One was supposed to be for JEAN! She was the only one left and she was pissed as she descended into the fight, fires erupting around them. He cried out for all of them to get back to the jet, get to safety when he saw Cassandra coming right behind Jean, but not to attack her. She was injured, not badly, but still injured. She was spent, and he could read it clearly on her features.

He was thankful for Kurt as he appeared behind her and took her out of harms way as he approached the Phoenix. Waves of her power tore at him, ripping his flesh and muscles from his chest and shoulders, pain moved through his body but he pushed on, she would kill them all, he knew it, if he allowed her to live. One thing he kept chanting in his mind, this isn't Jean, this isn't Jean...

"You would face me, Wolverine? You would tame me like Charles as tamed you?!" she spoke to him low, throaty, no, it wasn't Jean.

"No, not to tame you." He said. He was briefly aware of screams behind him, but he wouldn't allow himself to take his concentration off of her.

Cassandra watched on in horror as Logan moved up to Jean, his flesh peeling away from his body, his claws piercing through his flesh, ready to give the killing blow. Kurt tugged on her to get into the jet, but she wouldn't budge, she wouldn't allow Logan out of her sight, he slowed, this wasn't part of her vision, what was happening? A new wave of power surged forward from Jean, and knocked him to his knees. "NO! LOGAN NO!" She barely understood herself as she caved into hysterics, her knees gave out as she watched Logan kneeling before the Phoenix. As if he were giving himself over to her. His flesh still peeled away, and her throat was hurting. Strong arms were around her, restricting her from moving, and she gave into those arms, sobbing into them as she watched the entity using Jean's lips to speak, even though she couldn't hear her.

"You would die for them? For her?" Jean asked him.

Logan struggled back to his feet as the power surge ebbed, "Yes, Jean, I would. I found my place. But this... this is all for you. I would have given myself willingly to hell for you."

"Maybe you should have done it sooner." Her lips spread into a malicious grin.

He shook his head. "No, Jean. You made your choice I respect you and Scott too much for that."

"You have to kill me."

He nodded. "I will always love you, Jean. Know that."

The creature before him laughed, laughed in his face as he punched out his claws, and slammed them into her torso. Tears poured from his eyes as she looked at him, shocked, then a peace settled into her gaze. "Thank you, Logan..." She whispered before her eyes fluttered back and her lids shut. He once again dropped to his knees, and screamed out his anguish as he held Jean's body to him.

**A/N: I know this is ungodly long, but it had to be done. **

**Reviews are a close second to having Wolverine call you "his girl" **

**You all make me smile :D this is the longest chapter yet, I think. Hope you enjoyed it, i'll hopefully get something really good out in the next one.**


	13. Aftermath

**Just a couple of things before this one as I've only gotten one review (Quite quickly I might add!) as I write this before note. **

**This chappie MIGHT make some cry. It will be emotional, be prepared. **

**I've decided I'm going to start giving you what songs I used to help me set the mood. The locker room scene was A River runs in you by yiruma (Many confuse it with Bella's lullabye by carter burnwell. ) the battle was various intense instrumentals from immediate music. **

**This one has me listening to bell book and Candle by eddie Reader, and Calling all Angels by Jane Siberry. Further on in, I believe some Emmy Rossum in the form of 'Don't break my heart' and 'stay' and possibly 'inside out' and 'falling' with some Apocalyptica's cover of "one" thrown in just because it's made of win. **

**To my reviewers, I hope I saved all of them, thank you for them all, and Certh, I'm glad you thought the previous chapter was well written, I am not all that great at battle scenes (Thus me barely writing any danger room interaction) so i'm glad it was good. **

**This one as well starts on Cass, then transfers to both. **

**There be lemons here (What you've been waiting and begging for Teresa!)**

**Chapter 12: Aftermath. **

_Cassandra _

She didn't remember much of the aftermath of the battle on Alcatraz island. She remembered demanding Kurt take her back down to the carnage below them. She remembered running to Logan, only to stop behind him, wary, reaching her hand out slowly when she saw Scott running toward them from the corner of her eye. Logan let her body fall into her lover's arms and he half turned on his knees to her, the anguish on his features, in his eyes, written all over his entire being screamed for her. She didn't move from where she stood, rather, she opened her arms slightly, inviting him in, and he collapsed against her, wrapping his arms around her hips, nestling his face against her stomach.

And then... she didn't know anything else. Only him, keeping him in her arms, his head in her lap as she sat against something, her arms kept around him as she walked blindly down a hallway.

She only seemed to truly understand where she was when she climbed the stairs by the front door of the Xavier mansion. Logan seemed to cling to her as she led him to his room, and sat him on the edge of the bed. She knelt down in front of him, just holding onto him for the longest time as he allowed sobs to shake his body roughly, tears ran down his face, and his hands gripped onto her.

He didn't speak until he had finally released all his grief, and he was taking deep breaths. She pulled back to help him undress, and get into bed to rest, and he tightened his hold on her. "Don't leave."

She had been able to keep her composure until he spoke. Silent tears fell from her eyes, and she shook her head. "I won't. But I need to get this leather off of me. It's..."

He cut her off, and gained his feet, letting go of her as he moved to a dresser and pulled out a long T-shirt. "Don't. Leave. Me." The desperation in his voice broke her and she stood, accepting the shirt.

"Okay, Logan."

He looked like he was about to start crying again, but he pulled her into his arms, and just held onto her tightly. "Thank you. I.... I can't be alone right now."

"Get changed, then you can hold me all you want." She wrapped her arms around him, contradicting her statement, and squeezed him tightly, inhaling his scent for a long moment before she let go, and he made quick work of changing out of the leather uniform. She kept her back to him as she had as she shared her memories with him, and peeled the leather off of herself, and slipped the T-shirt over her head, and turned. The hem barely covered her rear, but it didn't matter much. He was pulling the blankets back on the bed, his chest was bare, and he wore a pair of drawstring sweat pants with the X-man logo on the hip.

She moved over to the bed as he lowered himself onto the mattress, and held his arm out to her. She positioned herself curled up against his chest, and wrapped herself around him, positioning her left leg between both of his, her left arm wrapped around his side, stroking feather light caresses on his skin. Her right arm was sandwiched between them, and she didn't care much. His arms curled around her, holding her to his chest as he took in deep breaths breathing in her scent.

"I know you told me I would have to do it.... I didn't want to." His voice was rough, strained as he spoke.

She nodded, pressing her lips to his chest. "I know."

Silence surrounded them again for long minutes as she hummed a nonsensical tune under her breath, her fingers still moving against his back. She pulled back, and looked up into his eyes, the grief was evident in his, his fingers moved against her back through the shirt, and he sighed as he stared down at her.

"Cass... I'm sorry."

She frowned. "For?"

He shook his head slightly, and gave the smallest laugh, a hint of sarcasm laced into his words. "This." He shrugged slightly, though his hand still moved on her back comfortingly. It was giving her a mixed message.

"Explain?"

He sighed again. "Sweet heart, you gotta learn to tune your power a little better." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and hugged her to him tightly. "The grieving. Though I made my decision, I didn't think that it would effect me this hard."

She smiled up at him, and shook her head. "Don't. I knew it would be this difficult, it's why I warned you. So you could try to accept it before you had to go through it."

He smiled down at her, and kissed her forehead again. "Thank you, sweetheart." More silence. The longer it drew on, she thought he had fallen asleep, but each time she chanced a look up at him, he was still staring down at her. "Cass? What happened to Deathstrike?"

She giggled softly. "Phoenix scared her off I think. She had me cornered, her healing worked the same way as yours, my electricity didn't do anything to hurt her. Then Jean started down, and everything started going to hell, Deathstrike.... she... told me that she'd continue it later, then took off."

Logan shook his head. "No she won't. She won't get that close to you again. You were hurt... where did she hurt you?"

Cassandra pulled away from him slightly, and tugged up on the hem of the shirt to reveal five slashes on her side. They weren't deep, but they still stung slightly. His fingers moved cautiously over them, and he pushed himself up on his elbow to inspect them further, her eyes drifted shut as she relaxed into the pillow. She felt him move a little more, then something warm contacted her skin, her breath hitched when she opened her eyes and saw him lowering his lips to kiss the length of each wound.

A contented moan escaped her lips, and she saw him pull back abruptly. "Don't stop."

He shook his head slightly as a soft growl escaped his lips. "Cass, honey, I don't want to do anything in this frame of mind."

"Logan.. you promised." Her voice was doing that annoying pleading thing again. Damn him and the effect he had on her. Her back arched against him, her leg pressed up between his. "Please, you swore to me."

His head dropped back to her side, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding onto her tightly. "Sweetheart...."

"You still care?" She asked, running her fingers through his hair. He nodded against her bare side. "You still want me?"

He growled against her hip. "God, yes."

"Then let me remind you why you wanted me. Lose yourself in me, forget everything. You have the effect on me... let me..." She was cut off by his lips coming down onto hers, crashing against her mouth as he drove his tongue between her lips, dueling with hers before the initial intensity ebbed away, and the kiss turned languid. His hand trailed down her side, careful when he reached the wounds, then gripped her hip and he pulled her against him. His other arm wrapped under her and pulled her up so she was kneeling in front of him, and he pulled the shirt off of her.

He threw the garment onto the floor, his eyes raked over her form quickly, though every tiny mark on her body whether from a freckle or mole was permanently focused in his mind. He wrapped his arms around her again quickly, and pulled her body back against him. He groaned in pleasure at the sensations moving through his body as he felt her bare breasts pressed against him. His hands roamed over her back as he returned his lips to hers once more, taking his time with her, her arms moved to his shoulders, her hands lost themselves in his hair, and she held him to her as she fought to bring the intensity of the kiss back to the burning inferno it had been hours before.

Her hands moved from his hair, exploring the broad shoulders the tight biceps, the well defined pecks and abs before stopping at the waist band of the pants. She let them stay there for a long moment as she returned the kiss, smiling softly when he pulled the ponytail out of her hair, letting the dark strands to fall against her back. She was gripping his hips in anticipation of what they were about to do, pressing herself against him. She knew he wanted it, if the bulge in the front of his pants weren't any indication at all. His kiss was intensifying, and when her hands dipped below the elastic of the pants, and gripped his rear, he growled, low and primal, and normally it might have scared her, but it was the exact reaction she wanted.

Their kiss grew savage, ravenous, and he couldn't wait any longer. His lips moved from hers, traveling to her neck, nipping and sucking the flesh as if he were marking his territory on her as his hands gripped her hips, his fingers hooking into the top of her panties, pushing them down to her knees, his hands explored every inch of skin that was exposed as he moved his lips further down on her over her collarbones, to the valley between her breasts before giving in completely, taking the peak of one of those beautiful mounds into his mouth, suckling on her as his hand moved between her legs, and his fingers brushed against her. Her scent was driving him crazy, and when he hit her most sensitive spot, her hips moved forward, seemingly against her own will. His lips left her breast, and moved to the other, paying as much lavish attention to it as he had it's partner as he slowly moved his fingers in tight circles around her pushing back, delving into the wetness there before moving back out. Feeling for himself just how much she wanted him was enough to drive him crazy, but he wanted more, more of her wrapped around him.

Her back suddenly met the mattress, and his lips moved lower on her, she wasn't sure where her underwear had gone, and she truly didn't care much. He was between her legs, ravishing her with the primal desire he felt for her, and God she loved every second of it. Her fingers moved through the strands roughly, pushing down on him, she knew what he wanted, and damn, she wanted it too, she wanted every part of him. Though her mind was at war with itself, she wasn't sure if she wanted him to just plunge himself into her and join them, mark her as his completely, or if she wanted more of the slow, agonizing, torturous, pleasure she was getting from him.

She sighed and moaned as he moved further down her body, teasingly close to where she truly wanted him, his hands moved up her body, caressing her, and her head thrashed from side to side as her hips moved up, begging for him to quit teasing her already. She heard a soft chuckle before his tongue met her flesh, and she lost all coherent thought. Her hands suddenly gripped a pillow that was over her face, and she was screaming his name into it, her legs hooked over his arms, and pulled him against her as her hips moved against him, her body begging for the release it needed.

Though when it came crashing down on her, she knew that the release she was getting wasn't all physical. The groans she heard, and felt vibrating against her made her realize, not only was her orgasm moving over her, but her electricity was finding a release as well.

As she recovered from her climax, he kissed his way up her body, moving himself against her, gently prying the pillow from her grasp, capturing her lips with his as he moved his arms under her back, holding onto her shoulders as he pressed into her groaning with the sensation of how amazingly good she felt. He moaned into the kiss as she did, he felt her lifting her hips up as much as she could with him trapping her against the mattress, and he moved with her, plunging himself into her every time she would lift her hips to meet him.

He couldn't keep his lips against hers for long, and moved his kisses to her jaw, her ear, her neck, shoulders, collarbones, chest, everywhere he could reach, his primal desire for her grew as his pace quickened, as he was slamming himself into her, her was terrified suddenly that he was hurting her, but it was quickly dampened when he felt every part of her body squeezing him, and she was moaning his name against his shoulder, begging him to move faster and harder.

It wasn't much longer for either of them as he felt her clenching him tightly as her climax ripped through her body once more. He pressed himself tightly against her as he rode out her orgasm with her when his was suddenly triggered. Everything faded away, all that mattered was the woman in his arms, his woman in his arms, moaning and sighing between kisses, her nails digging into his back, her teeth scraping against his shoulder. He groaned out her name into her shoulder, then moaned into her lips as he allowed his orgasm to take over him.

She couldn't stop caressing his skin, even after she knew his climax was finished, he kept moving within her for a long time afterward as they both came down from the high they experienced together. When he finally stopped moving, he held onto her, and rolled to his side, taking her with him, he didn't let go. "Don't leave." He said again to her, his voice was strained again, and he gripped onto her as if he were afraid she would disappear on him.

"I'm not going anywhere, Logan." She said softly as she held him to her. She stroked his back, smiling slightly when she felt the goosebumps raising on his skin. Slowly a song she'd heard from Kitty's computer two days prior seeped into her brain, and she couldn't help the melody from forming in a hum as she held onto him.

Just before sleep managed to find her she remembered the name of the song, and tears formed in her eyes as she held onto Logan tighter who had finally started softly snoring into her hair. It was too fitting for the both of them, the words formed in her mind as she held tighter on him, whispering the words into his chest. "Don't break my heart, don't walk away, don't leave me lonely, running in place, waited so long to be here right now... sometimes things work out, don't ask me how.... don't break my heart." Tears spilled forward as she repeated the last four words over and over until she fell asleep in his arms.

**A/n Ahh ravenous yummy Logan.... some may feel this is OOC, but truly... really it's not. **

**Little angst-y there at the end, but it's well worth it. The two of them have been through the ringer. **

**Reviews make me happy, but no where near as happy as Logan's love making.**


	14. Past meet present

**Songs for this chapter: Flyleaf "All Around Me", Linkin Park, "My December", Metallica "Nothing Else Matters", Muse "Feeling Good", Nickelback "Far Away" For Logan. For Cass, some Korn, some Disturbed, and some random Three Days Grace thrown in there. **

**I apologize for the language that will be read in this chapter lol, too much Wide Awake I think.**

**Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter to you guys. Family and friends took up a lot of my time this week. **

**But this will throw this plot forward, even though it's sort of short, there's a lot of info in here, and'll have you drooling for more. **

**Thanks to everyone that added this to their story alerts. **

**Sam Wiise Gamjii: Definitely not, LOL **

**Teresa: I told you! LOL sorry for the delay girl.**

**Chapter 13: Past meet present**

_Logan_

Light filtered in through the white curtains of his bedroom, drifting over the pillows the next morning, shining right into his eyes alerting him to the new day. He moved to stretch when he realized there was a soft weight on his left arm. A warm body was pressed against his, a leg tangled between his, an arm wrapped around his waist, cucumber, watermelon and vanilla surged into his senses and he gasped slightly as he opened his eyes and saw Cassandra still in his bed, holding onto him tightly. Her eyes were still closed, her breathing deep and even, still asleep.

A smile played on his lips as he recalled the night before, and despite having to kill the first woman he remembered loving, which sent a sudden intense pain through him at the thought, he still had ended on a good note. The woman still laying in his arms truly cared about him, she didn't leave him when she had every fucking right to. There he was, almost comatose over having to do his duty and save the team when no one else could, when only an hour before he had promised her that no matter what happened, he cared about her and wanted her. It felt wrong to him, but she was there, still wrapped around him, clinging to him.

She sighed contented in her sleep and snuggled against him closer, burying her face into his chest again. Her fingers moved absently on his back, sending goosebumps racing over his skin. It shocked him slightly to feel the sensation, it had been far too long since he had those inflicted on him by a caress. "Logan" She mumbled softly. He tilted his head as he watched her, brushing her hair back off of her cheek, the back of his fingers brushing against her skin. It gave him another contented sigh from her lips. Then his name again. And then something that startled him. "Don't break my heart."

His breath caught, and he sighed as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'll try not to, sweetheart." He whispered to her, he wondered just what she was dreaming about to make her tell him not to break her heart. He couldn't promise anything to her, and he knew it, and it killed him that he knew it. He wasn't the type of man to just stick around in one spot for long. He was a nomad, it was who he was, even then he was feeling the urge to take Scott's bike, and just drive for the next week. He sighed, and fell back against the pillows, groaning. His arm tightened around her, giving her a half assed hug.

He hated the restraints of making a commitment to anyone. And though he had told Jean before the incident at the lake that he could be the good guy, he knew that he wouldn't be able to truly pull it off. Too much rested on being able to handle staying put, before, he really hadn't had anything to keep him in one spot, there was too much he needed to find. But this one. She could see it, tell him everything, right from the moment he was born until two seconds before he asked her, could he take advantage of her gift like that? Would it be taking advantage of her if she offered? Everything had become so incredibly confusing, and he wasn't sure if it was a good confusion or if he should be irritated by it.

After holding her in silence for a few long moments, her breathing finally changed and she started to stir against him. She moved once, and only once, then stiffened. He smirked as he could feel her eyes on him, and he lazily looked down at her. "Mornin'." He grinned down at her.

She giggled softly up at him. "Morning."

"You look surprised." He said, his eyes searching hers.

She nodded against his arm. "I thought I was dreaming again."

A grin spread on his lips. "Again?"

A blush sprang forward on her cheeks, and she giggled softly again, trying to hide her face. "Yes..."

A smug smirk moved over his lips then, and he chuckled giving her another squeeze. "Just how many of those dreams have you had?"

"In the last two weeks?" She waited until he nodded before she automatically answered. "At least twenty."

His eyebrows his his hair line. "Really?" A smug smirk appeared on his lips then as he settled back against the pillows. "I have you beat."

She lifted herself up on her elbow beside him, and stared down at him. "What?"

"At least 50," He waited for her to take in that information before dumping it fully on her. "A day."

He got exactly the reaction he wanted. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and he had rendered her speechless. "Don't be so shocked, sweetheart." He chuckled, then sighed as his mind was pulled back to the reality of their situation when he could hear Rogue a floor below them arguing with Bobby on the grieving process.

"We have about five minutes before Scott is going to barge in here." Cassandra said beside him, bolting up, reaching for the discarded T-shirt from the night before, and moved to a chair across the room with a blanket covering her legs. He lounged back in bed, barely caring that Cyclops was going to burst into the room, unannounced, then understood her predicament, and groaned when the pulled on the sweatpants exactly two seconds before the door was thrown open. "Ya know, that's closed for a reason."

"You had to?!" Scott's voice had taken on a gruff, scratchy tone and he sighed as he leaned back against the headboard.

"Yeah, I did. Otherwise we'd all be piles of nothing on Alcatraz island. I'm sure you'd rather the entire team live and one person die, then allow her to live, and let everyone die. My plan was to hit Magneto with one dart, and Jean with another." His eyes moved to Cassandra then. "But it was meant to happen this way."

Scott had followed his line of sight, and finally noticed the woman sitting curled up in the chair. Cassandra was smiling sweetly up at him, _That's my girl. _Logan thought as he smiled at her, then as he turned his gaze back to Scott, his smile quickly dissipated. He waited for a long minute before the other male acknowledged him again. "What... did you do?"

He opened his mouth to tell him to back off when Cassandra spoke for him. "Nothing that you haven't done before." Her smile was gone, and she was glaring up at him. "Logan did all his grieving last night, If you need to take your anger out on anyone, let it be the entity that consumed her. Not the one person that set her free." She stared at him in silence for five full minutes before Scott looked away from her, and turned out of the room.

"Where did you learn that?" Logan asked her stunned.

"Pure logic." She smiled over at him. "He was upset because of Jean's death. You killed her, who's he gonna be mad at? The one that killed her. What he should be mad at is the reason behind the death, The Phoenix."

He smiled at her, and moved over to her, leaning his hands on the arms of the chair, putting himself close to her. "Cass, honey, is there anything you can't do?"

She half considered it as she grinned up at him. "Fly." She smiled brightly, then pursed her lips as her stomach growled. "And not eat, apparently."

Logan chuckled softly, and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Go get dressed, meet me in the kitchen." He grinned as she threw the blanket off of her legs, and ran into the hallway, heading for her room. He immediately moved to the dresser, and threw on a pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt, it was simple, but he knew his woman loved it. That was enough.

As he descended the stairs ten minutes later he noticed a woman standing between the staircases flanking the front door, and he frowned. She turned, and the recognition knocked him back against the wall. "Shit." It was Cassandra's mother. Her scent came down the opposite stairway from him, and his eyes widened, she wasn't going to be able to get out of it. He knew she could handle it, so he hung back, hoping he wouldn't need to step in for her.

_Cassandra _

She noticed the woman standing between the stairways, but not even her gift could have prepared her for the face that now stared at her. She swallowed everything, and stepped off the last stair, crossing her arms, looking her mother up and down in slight confusion, but her eyes relayed no emotion what so ever. "Yes?"

"Cassie? Cass, honey." Her mother's eyes welled up with tears, and reached her arms out for her, preparing to pull her into an embrace.

Cassandra took a hasty step back, anger replacing the confusion. "Don't. Call. Me. _Cassie_." She spat, her fury coming off of her in almost visible waves.

"I... we always..." Her mother's voice sounded hurt.

_Good._ She thought, now blatantly glaring at her. "I know. What do you want?"

"Your father and I saw you on television last night. You fought for those soldiers lives."

She rolled her eyes. "No. I fought for mutant lives. My life. Which is something you know nothing about, _mother_."

"Cass..." She trailed off as the glare in her daughter's eyes intensified warning her to leave it at that. "You have to understand.... we knew nothing about it, we thought you were part of..."

"So you didn't want to try to HELP me? You threw me out on the street, convinced that I was part of a gang that tried to kill DAD?! You couldn't have given me, your FLESH and BLOOD a chance?" She watched as her mother tried to interrupt her. "NO you need to hear this. You threw me out on the streets, didn't care if I lived or died. Let me guess. You're here because of the cure." When her mother's eyes dropped away from her, her fury was so intense the pressure started building in her head, but she didn't care. "You want me to take the cure, so we can all be one big happy family again?"

"It would solve everything!" When her mother looked back at her, she was startled into silence at the sight of her daughter, electricity jumped between her fingers, swirled in her eyes, this was not the daughter she knew.

"It solves NOTHING!" With that, she started stalking toward her. "You know nothing about what I've been through, what you threw me to, you never WILL know! I wasn't good enough for your family when I was thirteen, and you still think I'm not. Well you know what? FUCK YOU! I'm better then you'll ever be! I would never throw my own child out because I was scared of her. I would never betray my blood like that." She had her cornered against the wall then, her anger outweighing all her caution then. "I don't want you. I won't ever want to be with you and _Daddy_ again. You lost me, and every right to call me your daughter when the concrete curb hit my face."

A hand came down onto her shoulder then. "Sweetheart, calm yourself."

As the gruff voice came to her, she looked at the hand resting on her shoulder, she followed it up to Logan's eyes, and stared at him for a long moment before she backed off of her mother. She looked down at her hands, and saw the electricity then took a deep breath, as she felt the calming gesture he had used in the danger room, moving his thumb back and forth on her shoulder.

"I think you need to leave." He spoke again, this time to her mother. "She's not going anywhere with you."

Her mother cast a disgusted look at Logan then, "And who are you to try to tell me what to do?"

"Your elder. Get out, and don't come back. You're out of your element here, lady." Logan's voice was low, dangerous, no one in their right mind would ignore the commanding tone he spoke in.

Cassandra smirked, and leaned back against him, thankful for his presence. Her eyes moved over the woman in front of her, and shook her head. This wasn't the mom she remembered, and she didn't want to know this woman. She thought no one would speak again after how Logan had just spoken... her mother apparently wasn't very sane.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are, but this does not concern you, and I am older then you are!"

Logan's adamantium claws shot out of his hand that rest on Cassandra's shoulder. She jumped slightly, and only looked fleetingly at them before back to her mother. "Leave." She said, turning out of Logan's grasp, and moving down the hallway. She wouldn't waste anymore of her better used time on a woman that abandoned her.

Only moments later, Logan caught up to her, grasping her arm. "Cass." She turned, and looked up at him, fighting back tears. He took one look at her, then pulled her into his arms, holding onto her. "Don't let her get to you, honey. You know you're better off."

She nodded against his chest. "I know. Breakfast?" She asked weakly.

"I'm cooking." He grinned down at her when she pulled back and looked at him, shocked. "I did take care of myself for a long time before you and the X-men."

She shrugged slightly, and turned under his arm still letting him hug her to him as they walked to the kitchen. She was more then disturbed to know that her mother had found her at the mansion, but she knew exactly _how_ she'd found her. There were security cameras taping the whole battle, she was sure it had been broadcast on the morning news, was even more certain that Charles' name was dropped somewhere in the broadcasts, and her mother had found her, simple as that. But it still bugged her that after eight years, she would ask her to take the cure and come back 'home'. As if she had a home in Ohio anymore. She couldn't imagine going back, and not only because of Logan. She had grown attached to everyone in the X-men.

"What's on your mind sweetheart?" Logan asked as he placed a plate of bacon onto the island in front of her. It was shortly followed by two pancakes on a spatula, being slid off onto the plate.

"My mother." She answered honestly, picking up a strip of the bacon, biting into it absentmindedly.

He frowned back at her as her set the syrup out in front of her. "Cass, you can't let her..."

She nodded cutting him off. "I know. Doesn't set aside the disturbed feeling I have that _she_ found me so easily."

He frowned then as he turned from the frying pan. "You're thinking..." He didn't finish his statement, but she could tell he was tense, ready to spring to action as if the very person he was insinuating would drop into the kitchen if his name was said.

"Yup." As she looked away from him she took another bite of the bacon, suddenly not hungry at all, and wrapped her arms around herself, hunching forward.

There was a click at the stove, and suddenly his arms were wrapping around her, pulling her back against his chest. His temple rested against the side of her head, just above her ear as he spoke. "Cassandra, I would never, do you hear me... _never_ let anyone hurt you."

"What if you're not there?" She asked quietly, leaning against him, taking what comfort she could from his arms.

"Then you electrocute the bastard, Cass. I'm not joking. You kill him." His arms tightened around her, putting the punctuation on his statement. He breathed in her scent, long and deep, filling his lungs with her before he pressed a kiss to the side of her head, and slowly pulled away from her, moving back to the stove to finish his breakfast, letting her eat her own.

She knew that Logan was serious, the tone in his voice held the 'don't argue with me' un-avoidable compliance was all she could muster. Knowing that her past could catch up to her so easily was terrifying. She hated that her mother had found her, and hated that she still feared Alec so intensely. She was an X-man, she was stronger then him, she knew it. But the memories of him flooded into her mind, bringing her back to that horrible place she had once resided in for so long.

Meekly Cassandra finished her breakfast, and for an hour and a half after cozied up next to his side on the couch in the den. Students milled about the room, but none spoke to them. She could feel Logan's eyes glaring any comment away with each sideways look. She knew she was slipping too far, reverting too much to who she used to be, and it scared her. She found comfort in Logan's reassuring squeezes, the little caress his thumb would give her arm, and the fact that he didn't ask what was wrong with her. He knew, he accepted it, and let her know without saying a word that he would be there for her.

She was incredibly thankful that he didn't insist on staying with her when she wanted to visit Charles later that evening. He walked her to the door, gave her a hug, and sent her inside. He didn't tell her he'd wait for her, or even tell her to come to his room when she was done, he was letting her make the choice on what she wanted from him. She appreciated everything. Now she had to know just how easily it would be for anyone else to find her, she didn't need Logan on her mind, in her thoughts, clouding her decisions.

_Logan_

It killed him to see how quickly she had withdrawn inside herself, that she would barely speak, only give one word answers, but she needed the space, he would give it to her. Hell he wasn't even sure if he should be giving her anything. Which was why when he walked her to Charles' office he didn't offer her his bed, or that he would wait for her to finish. The night before had been great, he needed someone, she was there for him, he'd gotten his lust for her out of his body... for the most part. She had asked him in her sleep not to break her heart, he didn't think he had it in him to do that to her, but he also didn't know if he had it in him to commit to her either. The day had been too entirely strange, ups and downs.

After wandering the halls for a while after leaving Charles' office doorway, he arrived at his bedroom, but seeing the rumpled sheets, smelling her in the room, he couldn't take it. Immediately he turned, and headed for the basement.

Scott was coming out of the infirmary as the elevator opened, and he frowned slightly at the confused expression. "What?"

Scott's face lifted up, startled. "None of you business. I need to see the Professor."

Logan shook his head. "He's busy. What's going on?"

"Jean." One word. One name, and everything got fucked up even more then it already was.

"What about her?" He hated how concerned his voice sounded, how her name would bring those thoughts forward in his mind

"Her heart." He looked back in the direction he came from, if he didn't just spit it out Logan thought he'd stab him. "It's.... it started..."

"It started what?" Logan's eyebrows met as curiosity over took him.

"That's it." Scott said, suddenly looking like a scared little boy.

"It.... started? It's _beating_​?" Logan's gaze moved to the doorway as Scott nodded in his peripheral vision. "When?"

"Three minutes ago now."

He wasn't waiting anymore, he pushed past him, moving to the doorway. Jean's chest rose slightly with every breath her body drew in, he could hear the perfectly rhythmic beating of her heart, and the wounds he'd inflicted in her abdomen... were gone. He sniffed the air slightly, she was still different, but not as bad as she had been before throwing him against the wall. "The Phoenix."

"What?" Scott's voice was right over his shoulder.

"The phoenix rises from the ashes, it regenerates. She's alive." Logan breathed out. _Yup, things were definitely even more fucked up then they had been._ He thought as the heart beat echoed in his ears.

**I have a few things going on this week, but I will try to get the next chapter out as soon as I possibly can. **

**If you want to know what's being said in Charles' office, let me know I will write it. **

**Reviews are definitely not better then walking in on Logan in the shower, but they are close to having him cook you breakfast. **


	15. Meeting with the Professor

**A/n This is a VERY short chapter, only to show the meeting between Cassandra and Xavier. **

**You are now reading a represented writer! I found an agent for my novel, and I need to put my focus onto that to finish polishing it to a nice shiny finish, and working on the sequel and stuff. **

**No real specific songs were listened to this time around. Just random stuff on my play list. **

**Thank you to everyone new that added the story to their alert list! **

**Chapter 14: Meeting with the Professor**

_Cassandra_

_Charles' Study. _

"Hello, Cassandra." Charles' smooth voice greeted her as she moved into the room.

She nodded, and moved to the couch, barely meeting his eyes. "I have a problem."

He nodded as well and the whirring of his wheelchair filled the silence that had fallen. "I am well aware."

Cassandra snorted softly. "Of course you do. I suppose you know about my visitor earlier?" She looked up to meet his gaze as he sat directly in front of her. When she saw his nod, she continued. "Did the fight get broadcast?"

A solemn look came into his eyes as he nodded again. "Yes, I'm afraid it has, Cassandra. And yes, I am sure that is how she found you. It had been revealed what we are here. Though anti-mutant groups are spreading the word that we are training a mutant army here." She sighed in anger, which stopped him, but he smiled. "It will pass. I have faith in that."

"How can you be so sure?" She asked, confusion completely taking over her.

"I have faith that humanity isn't as horrible as others would believe."

She immediately knew who he was speaking of, Magneto. However, she discarded it, and returned to her previous concern. "Will others be able to find me?"

His eyes searched hers for a long moment, and she knew he was probing around in her mind, looking for who she was asking about. He sighed and shook his head. "that I am unsure of, Cassandra. Though I would like to allow you a bit of time to go back to Ohio for a while. Seems this exact gang has taken on new members."  
Her eyes widened. "Mutants?"

He nodded. "Yes. They are as you were, confused, scared, lonely. I would appreciate it if you would return, and gather these new students."

She glared at him. "Do you have any idea what you're asking me to do?!" She forcefully pushed forward memories of Alec beating and raping her.

He shuddered slightly from the thoughts moving through her head. "You know better now. And I do not wish you to go alone. Take Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, whom ever you wish along with you. I understand you will need the reminder that you are not the child you were then."

it took her a long moment to comply, but she knew that she couldn't allow his cruelty to continue, and it would be much better her walking into the group home alive and well, and not dead, taking them all by surprise rather then him finding her here at the mansion and taking _her_ by surprise. "Okay. I'll leave in the morning."


	16. Revenge

**A/N So, the agent fell through. The agency was a complete scam, and I was bummed at the beginning of last week, and felt quite depressed. But now I'm glad it fell through, my novel wasn't ready, and I just felt too much pressure, and stress instead of the relief, and exhilaration that I should have felt. SO with that said onto the next chapter! **

**This one will probably be long, quite possibly the longest yet. I'm not sure as I'm writing this note before I even have the chapter number written! Haha. (side note after, yes it's ungodly long.)**

**Songs for this chapter: "Sos" by Apocalyptica and Christina Scribba, "Never too late", "Time of dying" and "On my Own" by three days grace. Also some random Godsmack. **

**Chapter 15: Revenge**

_Cassandra _

Five days later, after long consideration of who she was going to take with her, she settled on Logan, Rogue and Gambit, as Xavier had suggested to her. They were taking a commercial airliner back to Ohio, back to the horror that was her past. She was terrified, and she knew that Logan could smell it on her.

He was irritated that she was going as well, pissed off at Charles because he suggested that she should be the one to lead them into her ex gang. But it didn't matter, she understood Charles' reasons even if he didn't. She needed to prove to herself that she truly was better then them, to stop worrying that they were going to find her, she would find them first, and she was going to get her revenge. They deserved every bit of pain she would give each and every one of them.

Her eyes drifted to the window, watching the earth pass by under her, it wasn't something she thought she'd see ever again, as she never expected to be going back to Ohio. It took a lot of courage to even make the decision to go back, especially into their clutches, but that was why she had Logan with her. If she felt that she was slipping, and becoming who she once had been he would snap her out of it, she knew it in her gut. Though even then sitting on the plane on the way back to Ohio, she saw the storm heads moving in, and she wondered if it was a bad omen. Her hand instantly reached out for his, and he took it only seconds after she had lifted her hand. She still wasn't looking at him, but she didn't think she'd be able to keep up the guise that she really was okay with what she was doing.

She felt his fingers give hers an affectionate squeeze, and he leaned in close to her. "I hope you know what you're doin' sweetheart. I can smell the fear comin' from you."

"Charles said it would be okay. I believe him." She said, still looking out the window.

"Chuck's not the one with clairvoyance, you are. What do you see?" His breath moved over her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. God she wanted to join the mile high club.

"Me getting revenge on Alec." She whispered.

His hand moved from hers, and his arm wound around her, and she felt his fingers under her chin, turning her head to look at him. "You'll get it, Cass. I swear to you." He leaned in, his lips centimeters from hers when the Cajun had to interrupt.

"So what's the plan _Mon Chere_? We go in, kick some ass, and get out? Or are you thinkin' more stealthy?" His red irises met hers over the top of the seat in front of them when she looked to glare at him. And damn him to hell he was grinning at her.

"Can't you give a little bit of privacy, Cajun?" Logan growled.

That made him grin wider. "Not much privacy on an airliner, _Mon Ami_."

She felt his arm twitch behind her back, and she laid a hand on his arm. "Stop." She turned her gaze back to Gambit, and sighed. "Stealth I think. Let me go in, Logan and you stay close. Rogue?" She watched the girl look between the seats at her. "You're coming with me."

Rogue nodded. "Are ya'll sure about this? Ah mean... if these people are dangerous to mutants..."

Cassandra smiled, her resolve coming back full force. "They aren't dangerous to those who know what's right and what's wrong."

Rogue shrugged, then replaced the head phones to continue watching the comedy on the screen in front of them.

Gambit smirked down at them. "Ah guess then ah'll leave ya'll to your... privacy." He rose his eyebrows suggestively, then turned and settled back in his seat.

"The mood swings are killin' me here Cass." Logan whispered back to her.

"What mood swings?" she asked confused.

"One minute you're terrified, the other you're ready for battle. What's goin' on sweetheart?" His hand stroked her arm gently, as it was still trapped behind her.

She shrugged, "I'm just... trying to keep my mind away from the way I was when I was last there. I was sixteen and stupid... and..."

"You were naive, Cass, not stupid."

"I was stupid." She countered. She took a deep breath, and looked up into his eyes. "everything will work out. It has to."

His eyebrow rose, and he sighed, then nodded. "If you believe it, Cass, honey, I'll believe you."

She rested her head back against the seat, and thought about the affectionate terms he kept using with her. 'sweetheart' and 'Cass, honey' was used most. She wasn't sure what to think about it, though part of her loved the terms, she wasn't sure where they stood. The last five days she had been slightly reclusive, only being seen by him in the danger room, and late at night when she would creep into his room because she now found that she had serious trouble sleeping without his arms around her. ... damn him. She didn't want to talk about the night they had after Jean's death... supposed death... she wasn't even sure how she was able to get him out of the house after the woman's heart started beating again, somehow.

Nothing had progressed with her, she was in a coma, but her brain waves were ridiculous. She was searching for something with her mind, reaching out with her telepathy, but it wasn't connection with anyone in the mansion. It only worried her that somehow the de-powered Magneto would come looking. She didn't think it would be possible, but she wouldn't put anything past the mutant. There was nothing that any of them could do for her, she wondered if that thought was the main reason why Logan had come with her. Part of her wanted to ask him what exactly they were doing with each other, but was too terrified of the answer. Were they just screwing around? Was he serious about her? She wasn't sure, and she sure as hell wasn't going to get the answer from him on a plane, 30,000 feet in the air, with Gambit in front of her, on her way to go infiltrate the gang she wanted nothing to do with for the rest of her life... yeah... real romantic.

Her mind raced through the last half hour of the flight, and before she knew it they had touched down in Cleveland, Ohio, and were on their way to the car rental. She knew the way back 'home' and she led the two hours drive with Rogue while Logan and Gambit followed behind her. She pulled over to the side of the road just outside of her 'hometown' and met the guys between the cars. Exchanging plans such as, the sign for distress, a phone call where the phone rang once and hung up. Logan was to wait until the phone rang four times before he picked it up. If he picked it up before then, _he_ was in trouble. If he didn't pick up at all... he was in trouble. Same went for her and Rogue.

Logan walked her back to the driver's door, and pressed his hands on the hood on either side of her. "I don't like this, Cass, honey. I'm going to tell you this right now, I'm staying close. I hear anything out of line, and I'm coming in there for you." His left hand moved from the car to cup her cheek. His eyes bore into hers for what seemed eternity, conveying what he refused to say to her, but she knew he wanted to say. She wasn't even sure if he knew what he wanted to say.

She just nodded. "I'll be careful. I promise."

"You'd better." And then he leaned down, and pressed his lips to hers quickly. Just a peck, but she knew there was so much more he wanted to give her, and wanted to take from her. Then he walked away and back to his car, getting into the passenger seat.

Gambit stood by, his eyebrow raised, but he didn't speak. "Do as the Wolverine says, _Chere_ be careful."

She nodded, and she and Rogue climbed back into the car, and took off back down the highway, taking the first exit into the town. She knew they'd be surprised and wondered, how exactly would they take her coming back.

The downtown area of Fremont, Ohio wasn't exactly the run down spot most people would think of. Though the gang centered in a building Alec had bought that had been used as a factory on the corner of State and First streets. It took up half a block, and was four stories tall. Nothing extravagant, just a red brick building that no one would take too much notice to. There wasn't even graffiti on the walls. Cassandra parked the car across the street on First St, and got out, heading for the front doors.

She hesitated only a moment before pushing the door open and walking in. "Hello boys, I'm home!" Heads jerked up from the poker game in the front room, eyes widened, others gained their feet, they were stunned into silence. "Oh, don't tell me I'm unwelcome? I've only been away for five years."

"Cassie..." Alec's voice hit her hard from the end of the hall where the kitchen was located, she remembered. "We thought you were dead and buried."

She smirked. "Yes, Alec, you would have liked that wouldn't you? I knew the truth then, and I know it now. Yet... here I am."

"You know we should kill you just for being alive." He said stalking toward her.

Cassandra crossed her arms, the change in her was apparent to everyone there, especially Alec. "You could try...." She said, her tone taking on a sort of sing song at the end. "One touch from my friend here, and you'll drop dead, and then she'll lead the gang. Which doesn't sound too bad, now does it?"

Alec rose an eyebrow. "She's a freak like you then?"

Cassandra glared at him momentarily, then smirked. "From what I heard, you've taken in more 'freaks' these days. Lemme guess, a telekinetic? Need someone to break into places for you easier huh?"

She had taken him off guard. She knew it. "And you knew this how?"

"I'm clairvoyant, Alec. How the hell do you think?" She started down the hallway toward him, and Rogue fell into step behind her.

Alec took in Cassandra's appearance, blue jeans that fit tight on her thighs, flared out slightly over the black high heeled boots, the red tank top, and leather jacket that covered her torso. Her hair hung loosely over her shoulders, and her green eyes were filled with disdain. He watched as Rogue moved beside her, taking in the girl's long green jacket, and tan gloves that protected her hands from touching anyone's bare skin. His eyes lingered on the streak of grey in the front of her hair that hung down to the right side or her face. "What is this then, Cassie?"

"Whatever you're in on, I want a part of it." She said, tilting her head to the side, looking over him, he hadn't changed at all in five years, his dark hair slicked back to show his severe widow's peak, his rounded face gave him a still youthful appearance even though he was six years older then she was. His slightly muscular arms were crossed over his chest, and as he moved closer to her she still had to tilt her head back to look up at him.

His brown eyes bore into hers as he looked down at her. "Where'd you get this spunk from?"

"Practice." She said as she looked back up to him.

He leaned down, his face in hers. "Betray us again, Cassie, We'll make sure you die."

"You can try." She said again, this time, her voice was hard. The phone rang in her pocket, and it jarred her out of her stare down with Alec. "'Scuse me." She turned,and headed for the stairs, Rogue smirking as she followed behind. On the fourth ring, she flipped open the phone. "Hey."

"Everything ok?" Logan's gruff, but worried voice made her smile.

"Yeah."

"You sure you can't do this, get in, get the kids, and get out?"

She shook her head as she moved to a second flight of stairs. "No. I can't, Logan. Things aren't that easy."

"You're keeping your answers cryptic aren't ya?" She could see the smile on his face.

"You know it. We'll talk later."

"Be careful, sweetheart."

"Always." She pulled the phone away from her ear, and tucked it back into her pocket, turning down a hallway.

"Where ya'll goin?" Rogue asked in a whisper.

"Findin' the kids. If I know Alec he's got them near his room to keep them in check. And unless he switched rooms, his was right..." She trailed off as she saw a boy about the age of ten, and a girl in her early teens almost identical, dark brown hair, grey eyes, the same oval faces run out of a room at the end of the hallway. "There."

Rogue looked up at her shocked. "That's them?"

"Their minds are open too..." She focused on the both of them, sending the thought toward their minds, Charles had said one was a telepath, and she hoped the kid had their mind open enough. _You're in danger._

The girl stopped holding her hand out to stop her brother, grabbing the front of his shirt. _Who are you?_

_A friend. _She returned. _I know Alec. Go ahead and search my thoughts, you know it's the truth. _

She focused her thoughts onto Cassandra's mind, and then nodded. _He did that to you? _

She nodded. _And he won't hesitate to do it to you. I can get you out of here, but you need to trust me. There's a place much better then here waiting when you are ready._

The girl nodded, and let go of her brother. "Where?"

"Westchester, New York." She felt a hand bat her back, and she spun, hearing Alec coming up the stairs. "Go back to your room." She whispered. "Now!" She spun back to Rogue, and handed her the phone. "Go with them. If I'm not out of his office in thirty minutes, you know what to do."

Rogue's eyes widened. "What are you going to do?"

"I can't be here. we're taking care of this now. Talk to them." Cassandra conveyed her conviction through her eyes to the other girl, and gained her compliance just as Alec reached them, and she took the phone.

"Cassie..." She allowed herself to cringe from the name before she turned. "why don't you join me in my office? We have so much to catch up on."

Cassandra plastered a fake serene smile on her lips, and sauntered over to him. "Sure. Why not?" She started up another set of stairs with him as Rogue called out to her. She put her hand behind her channeling her electricity into her hand before pulling it back in to reassure her that everything would be fine.

She followed Alec into the office, and flashes of the last time she were there flashed in front of her eyes, seeing it from his perspective, throwing her onto the ground, punching her, grabbing her by the hair, and dragging her out of the office. She shook her head sharply to rid herself of the images, and sat down in a chair across from the desk, still intact after five years.

"Saw you on TV, Cassie. You're with that mutant army?" He dropped himself into the leather chair on the other side of the desk.

She shrugged, and propped her feet up on the edge of the large dark stained piece of furniture in front of her. "Kinda. Why?"

He eyed the heels of her boots for a long moment before he spoke again. "If you're with them, what are ya doin' here?"

"Told you, you're obviously into something, I see some kind of money coming into your hands... I wanna know what it is." She shrugged against, and uncrossed, then recrossed her ankles.

"You see me comin' into money?" He sneered at her, then gained his feet. "And you think after five years I'll just let you in?"

Cassandra shrugged. "This was my home for three years."

"Where you been the last five?"

She tilted her head. "Sandusky. Someone found my broken body on the road, showed me mercy, took me to the hospital." she wished her glare could have killed him.

He chuckled. "Someone spared mercy for _you_?"

She smirked, and moved her head to the other side, sliding down in the chair, looking pretty damn comfortable before she spoke. "_Shocking_ isn't it?" She smirked at her own personal joke. He had no clue.

He moved around the desk, to stand behind her chair. "What makes you think I want you back?"

She smirked, then tilted her head back to look up at him. "You sure wanted me here five years ago, Alec." Her smile remained sweet as ever. She knew it was irritating him that he couldn't scare her the way he used to.

_His hand snaked out and grabbed hold of her hair_, _twisting his fingers into it, and jerked her up. _ She sat up so fast, she was on the desk before his hand cleared the space where her shoulder had been. "I've refined my gifts quite a lot." She pushed herself up onto the edge of the desk, her knees relaxed to the side as she leaned forward to smile at him. Her finger tips drew lazy pictures on the dark wood. "You had some good times on this desk, didn't you?"

He sneered at her once again, the wolf coming out of the sheep's clothing that he hid behind so well. "I worked you good on that desk quite a few times."

Her eyebrows rose, in a mock remembrance. "Oh yes.... that's right. You did."

"Like you forgot?" His eyes narrowed at her as me moved forward, placing himself between her legs, his hands moved over hers on the desk, his face inches from hers.

"Yeah. I just forgot." She didn't move, rather this was exactly what she wanted him to do, exactly what she knew he'd do. He only thought with one part of his anatomy, and that head didn't have a brain. He lowered his face toward hers and she turned away so lips met her hair before turning back. "Alec?"

He smirked. "What?"

"You wanna know the cool thing about being a mutant?"

He snickered. "What's that?"

"I can see it'd be horrible. Before you even do anything." She smirked, and shoved him back away from her so hard he fell into the chair she had previously occupied. "That's only one thing."

"Like there's more." He found her humorous.

"Actually there is." She said pushing herself off the desk, and moving to lean over him. "My power can expand. Grow... evolve." She smirked, and started away from him. She never saw the paper weight being thrown at the back of her neck with deadly accuracy.

_Logan_

He hated, absolutely hated that she went in there without him. He could protect her, damn it all. If only she'd let him. They were parked down the block from the warehouse, and he couldn't stop pacing. It was annoying that he was giving the Cajun such a good laugh. She had been in there not even forty five minutes when the phone rang. Once. .... only once. Something was wrong. "Come on, Cajun."

Gambit grinned, and ran down the block after him, grabbing his staff out of the car. "Now dis is more like it. Save some for Gambit though, would ya?"

"Why should I, Gumbo?" Logan growled back at him as he reached the front doors, shot his claws out, and cut through the doorknob. He grabbed the first person he saw, a boy four inches taller then he was, put his claws in his face as he pinned the kid against the wall. "Where's Cassandra?"

The kid's eyes widened in fear. "T-th-th-th-the new one?"

"That would be right, _mon ami. _And it would be in your best interest if you answered him." Gambit grinned as he flipped out an ace of spades, and charged it. "Or in two seconds, you won't have pants to change out of."

"Upstairs." The kid squeaked.

Logan dropped the kid, then stopped as his left shoulder jerked back, right after hearing a gun being fired. He grimaced as his body worked to heal the wound, and push the bullet out of his arm, then stalked toward the man holding the gun. "Wrong decision, bub." He grabbed the gun, hit the male over the head with it, then tossed it down the hallway before climbing the stairs. An explosion sounded behind him, then Gambit was on the stairs. "Can't just let it go can ya, Cajun?"

"Nope, the explosion is sweet music to mah ears."

Logan stopped as Rogue and two kids met him at the top of the third story. "Where is she?"

"In his office." She answered.

"Gambit, get her and the kids out. Don't wait for me. Call Storm for a pick up." Logan ground out as he climbed the next flight. The images were still burned into his mind, exactly where the office was from the memories she had shared weeks ago. He met the bastard in the doorway. "Goin' somewhere, bub?"

"Who the fuck..." It was all he got out before he was thrown across the room, landed on the desk, and toppled off the other side.

Logan's eyes scanned the room for Cassandra, she was slumped against the wall to his right, slowly gaining consciousness. He ignored the whimpering from the floor, and moved to her, taking her face in his hands, making sure she was alright. A cut was on her forehead, bleeding slightly. She was moving her hands and feet sightly, so he knew the rest of her was ok. "Cass, honey, look at me."

"Logan?" Her voice sounded like an angel's. Her green eyes slowly opened to look up at him. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Rogue." it was all he needed to say, he knew it wasn't her that called, she wouldn't have. "wake up. Get up." his voice was hard, but God damn it, she scared the shit out of him. In the split second he hadn't seen her moving he though the fucker had killed her.

The gruff tone in his voice must have worked because she started getting to her feet, but her eyes weren't focused on him. They were focused on the form moving toward him with a gun in his hand. "NO!" She screamed out, holding her hand out in front of her. A white hot bolt of electricity flew from the palm of her hand, slammed into Alec, throwing him back over the desk.

"Cass, you okay?" He asked. She didn't answer him. She gained her feet, pushed him away from her, and stalked toward her prey. He had never seen her like this, so fiercely protective of anyone, especially him of all people.

"You know what your problem is ALEC?" She asked, stressing his name so intensely, he swore she growled. "You like to sneak up on people, stab them in the back, tear them into pieces so no one can put them back together again." Electricity swirled around her, giving her an ethereal appearance he couldn't help but feel so incredibly proud of her for.

"No!" he pleaded. "Don't hurt me please!"

"Why not?" Electricity arced off her fingers into him. "You hurt me." And again. "Many." And again. "Many." And again. "Times." She pulled the electricity back, and smirked down at him. He didn't interfere as she kicked him, punched him in the face five or six times, then electrocuted him again. She needed this closure, and he sure as hell wasn't about to stop her. He knew what it was like to want retribution, he had gotten in on William Stryker the year before at Alkalai Lake, He would allow her this revenge on Alec. He watched her as she repeated the attack, kick, punch electrocute, torturing him over and over again with her new ability before he was gasping for air pleading with her to stop. She must have perfected the voltage that she gave out, just when she had done that he would have like to of known.

She bent over him and grabbed hold of his shirt, pulled his torso off the floor, and growled into his face, his lioness protecting her pride. "I _ever_ hear that you're recruiting more mutants into your little gang, or taking in helpless young girls, I will be back, Alec. I will know, and I will kill you. For now, the thought of you looking over your shoulder to see if it's your judgment day is enough for me. I've had mine, Alec. And yours is coming very soon." She threw him back onto the ground, sending another jolt through him before she turned and started out of the room.

Logan couldn't do anything but grin as he slowly pulled his claws back into his arm as the underline to her statement, she wouldn't be alone if she did have to come back, and it wouldn't be just her passing judgment.

She didn't speak as she reached her car and she climbed into the passenger seat, letting him drive back to the airport to meet Gambit, Rogue and the kids. He watched as a few tears escaped her eyes, and she angrily brushed them away off her face. He reached over and took her hand, squeezing it. "you don't have to keep it in, sweetheart. Let it out. You've got another hour." he let go of her hand, and rested his arm on the back of the seat. She fell into his side, and this time, he got to comfort her.

He didn't know what he was doing with her. But he wasn't running, he wasn't leaving her behind. And he sure as hell wasn't going to have separate rooms from her anymore. As soon as they got back to the mansion everything of hers, including the cat was moving into his room, whether she liked it or not.

**Reviews make me very happy and make me want to write more for ya'll. **

**So this is a long chapter :D hope you all enjoyed it. **


	17. Confessions

**A/N Wow... wow... and wow some more. I am humbled by everyone adding me and this story to your favorites, and to story alerts, and the reviews. I was telling my husband last night how many people added me to their favorites and story alert, and then wake up to three more alert notices, and two more reviews... and then as I'm putting the finishing touches on it, another review comes in! Reviews make my day... and quite honestly get the story out more for you guys :D **

**Song choices for this chapter: Random Paramore, Immediate Music, Flyleaf, Linkin Park, and Three Days Grace, and one surprise song there toward the end.. **

**Chapter 16: Confessions **

_Logan_

She wasn't going to get away that easily. Once they had arrived back at the mansion Cassandra immediately took the new kids to Charles. He didn't mind the fact that she had barely spoken to him, she was dealing with her own shit, fine, he'd let her. But while she was doing that, he was moving her. He knew she'd throw a fit, just simply because that was Cassandra, the woman he couldn't get out of his head, the woman who's scent drove him crazy, and the woman who's crazy protector side was just as alluring as the rest of her. She hadn't needed to but she protected him from getting shot. She may have lost it, and possibly could have killed Alec, but the fucker was lucky he didn't get a hold of him before she did. He was lucky he didn't let his claws out and slice the bastard open from head to toe, cut him up into tiny pieces, and feed him to Cassandra's cat. He smirked at the thought of the tantrum he'd be witness to if that would have happened. Not that it wouldn't have been fun, at least for him.

The second he stepped into her room, Kitty jumped off of her bed, and stood almost at military attention. "What the hell are you doing?" He growled.

Her eyes widened. "Uh... what are _you_ doing in my room?"

He rose an eyebrow. "Last I knew, kid, this was Siryn and Cass' room too."

She nodded in confusion. "But... you were just with Cass, so... what..." She trailed off as he moved to the closet, and started throwing Cass' clothes onto her bed. "What are you doing?" The girl sounded indignant, almost pissed that he was touching Cassandra's clothes.

"I'm moving Cass. What's it look like?" he asked, moving to the dresser. He opened the top drawer and was greeted by balls of socks, and God help him, lace and satin undergarments that did horrible, horrible things to his mind. He shoved the drawer shut with a very loud bang, and turned back to the hangers slung over the edge of the bed, slung all the garments over his arm, and grabbed her pillow, and set out of the room.

Kitty chased after him, grabbing hold of the pillow, trying to tug it out of his arm. "What do you mean you're moving her?! Why? What's she done? Why can't..."

He turned abruptly, taking her off balance, and sighed. "Kid, she's moving into my room."

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, and God help him it was the wrong thing to say, but everyone would see her going in and out of his room, and he was sick of her trying to hide the fact that she was sneaking into his room every night, cuddling up to him, then leaving before the first person woke up. She was hiding the fact that she was falling in love with him, and he knew it was what she was doing... what he was doing, well he was just too fucking stubborn to admit any of those feelings, he was thinking about protecting her, damn it. The girl was just too naïve for her own good. "Let go of the pillow, kid." He ground out.

Her hands snapped open off of the synthetic feather pillow that was crushed to his side, and he started back down the hallway.

_Rogue_

She had known that Logan had taken a liking to Cassandra, but she didn't realize that it was that serious for him to be moving her things into his room. She frowned as she watched Logan walk away from Kitty, and head for his room. She sighed as she crossed her arms in front of her, and leaned against the wall. Everyone knew that she had a thing for Logan since he got her off that road in Canada. He'd saved her life, twice. She owed him a bit of her heart, but he didn't want it. He wanted Jean... but even she wasn't good enough anymore. Her frown soured as she thought about what Cassandra had that she didn't, then understood. She could touch him. She could hold him close while he grieved over Jean's death. She could kiss him, make love to him. And she probably had.

"Don' glare like that for too long _mon cheri." _The cajun spoke in her ear, he was so close his breath made her shudder in pleasure. She wasn't going to lie and say she didn't admire Gambit's courage in trying to get closer to her during both flights to and from Ohio. She welcomed it, but she wasn't going to encourage it. Bobby was already growing distant from her, she didn't need Gambit making it worse.

"Why not?" She asked.

"It mars that beautiful face of yours, _petite._" He grinned as she turned her glare onto him. "Ah, now see anger from a female is nothing but mere passion. If that passion could be better directed to other matters..." He leaned in toward her face.

Too close. Way too close. She brought a gloved hand across his face. "Enough!" She shouted.

"Ah, _cheri_ you know just what to do to get me wantin' more." He grinned, and started walking away from her. "Sooner or later, _chere_ you will want to get closer to Gambit."

"Ah doubt that." She grumbled, looking back up as Logan started back for another armful of Cassandra's belongings. She looked behind her as the kids came out of Charles' office with the man beside them, followed by Cassandra. She looked back up to the hallway where Logan was going back down the hallway three blankets, and a litter box under his arm, his nose wrinkled slightly. Then she grinned. "Cass?"

The woman smiled as she stopped next to her. "yeah?"

She was a good friend, she really was, but Rogue was looking forward to the shocking that would happen to Logan when she found out what she was doing. "Logan's stealing your stuff."

She frowned. "What?"

Rogue giggled as Logan came back down the hallway. "That's the third trip he's about to make into your room to grab your belongings, and take them to his room."

Her eyes widened, and she immediately turned bright red. That... was not the reaction Rogue was looking for. "He's..." She tilted her head as they both heard a scraping, and she frowned as she moved forward to stand in front of the stairs, and watched as Logan shoved her dresser down the hallway. "LOGAN?!"

Rogue smirked, that was the reaction she was looking for.

_Cassandra _

She couldn't believe it. Logan was actually shoving her dresser down the hallway. She moved up the stairs as he looked up at her innocently. "What?"

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?" She asked frowning at the furniture.

He stood up straighter, all six inches taller then she was, and frowned down at her. "You're in my room enough anyway. Why not?"

"Because, Logan, I'm a woman I need women roommates, not... you." It was a good enough reason to her.

He leaned in close to her, smiling, he had the audacity to smile at her. "Yeah, but you know, when two people care about each other like we do, and have... been intimate like we have... it's quite alright to share a room." He smiled, pressed his lips to her forehead, and shoved the dresser to get it moving again.

She stared at him in shock long enough for him to move the dresser three feet before she spoke again. "Who says I care about you?" She asked, crossing her arms in front of her. "Who says I care any different about you then anyone else here?"

He grinned. "You didn't ask anyone else here not to break your heart in your sleep did you?"

She glared at him. "What?!" She moved over to stand between him and the dresser. "that is enough! Put my dresser back where it goes now!"

He sighed, and considered her for a moment, "I would... but that would mean I'd have to clear out your drawers for you, and I don't think you want me walking around the hallways with" He tapped the top drawer with his index finger, a smug smirk on his lips. "that in my hands."

She rose an eyebrow, then sighed, a deep sigh that she knew he knew he'd get it later. Her eyes were still glaring daggers at him as she stepped around him and headed for the stairs.

"Where you goin?" he asked.

"None of your damn business!" She called back out to him. _We'll just how quick he is to move me into his room when he sees Jean again, and I know where she is. _ She started down the hallway, waving Rogue off as the girl tried to follow her, then moved into the elevator hitting the button to take her to the basement. She was irritated as hell, how could he think that she would just go along with him moving her into his room, as if they were in love, and dating, and....

She stopped as the elevator doors opened, and she started out of the equipment, but stood between the doors, holding it where it was. Was he in love with her? She shook her head, no it wasn't possible. He was in love with Jean, and that how it was. Scott and Logan both loved Jean, Jean loved Scott, cared about Logan, the Phoenix loved Logan's animalistic side, but her... no she didn't fit into that picture. She slept with him, yeah, he told her she belonged with him, what ever. She wanted to believe it then, to believe that a man like him really could want her like that. But now... now she remembered who she was. What had happened to her, and who she was becoming.

The episode in Alec's office had definitely scared her. She wanted to kill him, but the rational part of her brain told her to control the electricity, let him fear her the way she feared him. She had trained for five days in the danger room, almost consistently to control her power. She knew she was getting burnt out, and maybe she needed a vacation, a nice island in Fiji sounded good.

She pushed herself out of the elevator, and moved down the hallway to the infirmery. She stopped there in the doorway, and saw Jean sitting up, Scott by her side. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she looked withdrawn. Slowly she moved into the room, and Scott looked up at her, even though she couldn't see his eyes, she could see the elation on his features.

"You're awake." She said to Jean, forcing a smile onto her lips. Damn her overriding emotions. She wanted Logan, she wanted him to love her, and take care of her and give her the baby she had seen in her future. But with Jean awake... with her being who she was... Logan would never settle down until he was able to get over Jean.

Jean nodded. "Yeah. I... I barely remember anything, but Scott's caught me up."

Cassandra nodded. "Good. Then you know who I am?"

The red haired woman nodded again. "Yeah. Cassandra Ward, you're a prophet, and you control electricity."

She nodded again. "Yeah."

Jean frowned then, curiosity crossing her features. "And Logan's quite taken with you."

Cassandra looked away from her, studying the black and white tiled floor intensely. "I guess."

"Scott, could you give us a minute?" Cassandra didn't look up, even when she heard Scott asking if it was a good idea, and she heard Jean reassuring him. She felt Scott brushing past her, and the door closing, then she heard Jean's voice again. "Cassandra, I know that while the Dark Phoenix had control of me I tried to kill you. I am... so... so very sorry for that."

She looked up at her, still seeing a darkened aura around the older mutant. "And you control it now?"

She shook her head. "it's not like that. The Phoenix is still in my mind, it's how I'm alive... again... and fully healed from Logan's claws. It knows that there is good in this world, and we are all part of it. It wants to continue to stay with us, to assist us."

Cassandra rose an eyebrow. "Is that... is it really possible that it won't go dark on us again?"

Jean smiled at her. "You are the clairvoyant, you tell me."

She sighed and looked away from her. "I don't know. There are an infinite amount of possibilities for your future, Jean. With two souls living in one body, it doubles the possibilities, screwing with my entire sight. I can't see anything clearly, only possibilities where choices have to be made."

They lapse into silence for a long moment until a heavy sigh came from Jean's lips. "You mean me?"

"You, Scott, Logan, the Professor. Me. Rogue." She lifted her hands in a helpless gesture, and shook her head. "There's just too many players. To many variants. It's like asking me if the world will end tomorrow or a million years from now. And the Phoenix has the power to end the world tomorrow if it wished."

Jean nodded in agreement. "Yes, it does. I feel it's power constantly. But I can control it, Cassandra." She stopped, then took a deep breath. "Scott and I need to get away from here."

Cassandra frowned. "Why?"

Jean shook her head. "Because with me around... Logan will never be able to accept what's right in front of him. I don't love him, I'm not in love with him as you are, Cassandra. I will never be able to give him what you can. I'm in love with Scott, but Logan will never fully accept that." She smiled at Cassandra, a warm, maternal smile that made her want to cry, and laugh, and curl up beside her and let the older woman tell her everything would work out, just because it had to, because there was no other choice.

Cassandra nodded instead, she knew that Logan would never be able to get close to her with Jean around. "Take care." She said then moved to the door.

"Cassandra?" Jean called out and she turned to look back at her. "Even though I can't love him, I do care for him. Treat him right."

"There's no other choice." She responded, then started back up for the upper floors, determined now, more then ever, to understand what was going on between herself and the man that confused and aroused, and made her feel for the first time in a very very long time.

_Logan_

Everything was moved in. Though it looked crowded, with two dressers, her things on his bed, her clothes in his closet, but it looked right, it felt right. And damn it all, he wasn't letting her try to talk him out of it. That would not happen, no way in hell.

He laid back in his bed, and waited for her. He waited a long time for her to return to the second floor of the mansion, and when he did hear her finally, her enraged scream filled the hallways. He smiled. She had a fire in her that could tame him just enough to make him want to settle down with her. The same fire Jean had, but Jean... was Jean, she was in love with Scott, she was in a coma. Cassandra, she cared for him, she wanted to love him, she complimented him, and he complimented her, it was a perfect fit, both figuratively and literally.

His door slammed open, electricity filling the air as his girl burst in. "What the HELL do you think you're doing moving MY things out of MY room?!" She stormed over to his bedside, but he kept his eyes closed, his smirk still present on his lips. "What are you smiling at? Answer me damn it!"

He grinned, just to piss her off more. "I told you what I'm thinking."

"Logan! You cannot just move me without my consent! You don't make MY choices for me! I do! What are you... who do you... what... Logan will you look at me?!" She was stammering, and that was endearing.

He slowly opened his eyes to see her green ones glaring at him. "You know... yelling at me will get you no where." He grinned slowly at her. Then he had to hold back a laugh as she glared at him more intensely.

"You're not doing this to me." She ran a hand through her hair, exasperated.

"Doing what?" He was still smiling at her.

She reached out and snatched her pillow out from under his head, then moved to the chair where her blankets were draped, gathered them in her arms, then noticed her cat curled up on the back of the chair. "You traitor." She growled at the cat, who, merely opened one green-gold eye, stretched, and fell back asleep. "Lazy traitor at that."

He sat up on the bed, and stared at her until she turned around to look at him. "Cass, honey."  
"Stop that!" She snapped, yanking her gaze away from his.

That reaction intrigued him. "Stop what? I've been calling you that for the last two weeks."

"I know. Stop it."

She wasn't making any sense anymore. "Why?"

She hugged the pillow and blankets closer to her body her arms trying to wind all the way around herself. "Because, you don't... you don't even know what you want with me, Logan... do you even know how you feel about me? You want to move me into your room, what.. take care of me, protect me?"

He shook his head. "You're wrong." He stopped, just to make certain she knew he really said it and it wasn't her ability working over time when he saw her eyes glowing. He rose an eyebrow at her as they returned to their normal green, and repeated himself. "I do know what I'm doing with you sweetheart. I know exactly what I'm doing."

Her eyes became guarded, but she slowly sat down in the chair, perched on the edge.

"When you first got here, I had been able to grieve Jean's death. I wasn't lookin' for anything, but then I smelled you in that airport. And then it got worse in the car, my God, Cass, I was trying so hard to resist pulling off to the side of the road, and taking you right there and then."

She frowned, but didn't speak. She knew he needed to get more off his chest.

"I wanted to protect you because I could tell just about everything about you. You were naïve, young, and then you could find Jean. I wasn't sure if I wanted you to or not. It would complicate my already complicated life further. But then you showed me.... you showed me everything about you, and I learnt just who you were. You were a survivor, just like me. You had a passion for life a lease on it that most people, most mutants don't because they don't understand just how fleeting life can be. I know what it's like to Love and lose, Cass. I became attached to Jean because I thought she understood it. I thought she could replace the hole that was ripped out of me when _she_ was taken from me. I was wrong. And then you... and your memories. Your life was just spilled out in front of me as if you bore your soul for me to fillet and devour

"I felt like I had devoured you, every bit of you, especially when I realized that you were leaning toward me, that your arousal grew every time you saw me, your natural scent mixed with that God damn shampoo you use drove me crazy. I got out of the house, I went to try to find Jean, I got intel. I was trying to run from you, from the intense craving that filled that hole in me. I had become so accustomed to that hole, I didn't, and still don't know how to react to it being filled." He stopped as he saw her eyebrows pull together, and she looked away from him, her hormones shifted, her breathing caught slightly, and God help him, she sniffled.

Instantly he pushed himself off the bed, and moved to kneel in front of her. He pulled the pillow from her hands, and threw it back onto the bed, and discarded the blankets onto the floor. He took her hands in his, and caught her gaze as fresh tears escaped her eyes. "Logan... don't..."

"Don't what?"

"Don't make me fall in love with you."

He let go of her hands, and reached up to cup her face in his hands. His thumbs moved over her cheeks as he pressed his forehead to hers. "I think it's too late for that, sweetheart."

She broke. Tears fell faster as a sob creeped up her body, exploding from her as her entire body began to shake with them. He pulled her into his arms, pulling her out of the chair as he fell back onto the floor, settling her on his lap as he held onto her. He wound his arms around her, and held onto her tightly. He wasn't letting go. Because some part of him, and he wasn't sure how big that part of him was, had become so attached to her, he couldn't imagine his life without her in it.

"I... I can't..." she gasped against his chest.

His hands moved up and down her back, comforting, but not telling her to stop. "You do already. I can smell it all over you."

"God damn you to hell." She mumbled as she hiccuped softly, she was already trying to calm herself down.

And that's when he understood it too. He did too, it was already far too late for either one of them to deny that pesky emotion that ate away at them, begging them to just give in and stop being miserable already. He loved her, he loved the hell out of her, and here he had thought that admission would have scared the hell out of him, he laughed. He laughed so hard it caused Cassandra to pull back and glare at him. Which only made it worse.

"Fine! If you're going to laugh at me for loving you then you can just go to hell, get my dresser back in my room tomorrow." She tried to push herself off of his lap but he held onto her tightly.

"Ah sweetheart, all seeing, and yet, you can't see what's right in front of you." he grinned down at her as she looked at him shocked, her jaw fell open, then the realization dawned on her too, and a smile slowly wound her lips upward into the most innocent smile he had ever seen.

"Really? You... I mean... you know how... screwed up... and..."  
He put his finger over her lips. "I love you Cassandra Ward. God help me I don't know when or how, but I love you."

She giggled, then threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him with a passion that would have completely knocked him over if he would have been a lesser man. Thankfully for both of them, he wasn't. His arms wound around her again, and held her tightly to him as he picked her up into his arms, not breaking the kiss lazily devouring every bit of her as he moved to the bed, and she reached her arm out, sending out a static jolt that gave off enough energy to close the door for them. He grinned, and broke the kiss only long enough to move to the radio and switch it on.

As he moved back to the bed, a soothing song started on the radio, a man's bluesy voice vocalized from the speakers. Words barely registered as he made his way back to Cassandra, press his lips back to hers, and hold her against him. His hands moved over her body tugging at her clothing, but this wasn't the ravenous, had to have her now, feeling he'd had the night Jean died.

_I should never think, what's in your heart, what's in our home, so I won't..._

Logan pushed her shirt up, slowly over her head, exposing her to him after pulling her bra off. His lips caressed each inch of skin he could reach, slowly taking his time with her. Her sighs and soft moans pushed him on, he lived and breathed by those sounds she made.

_You'll learn to hate me, but still call me baby, oh love, so call me by my name..._

He moved down her body, his fingers trailing behind where his lips left, then pulled her pants off of her, so agonizingly slow she was writhing when he kissed his way back up her body. Her hands tore at his shirt, and he helped her to push it off of his body, her fingers moved down his chest, tracing every muscle line constructed on his chest and abs, before moving her fingers to his own pants, unbuttoning them. He wasn't sure how they got off of him, but he was sliding himself inside of her, his name poured off her lips long, drawn out in a moan.

_Girl save your soul, go on save your soul, before it's too far gone, and before nothing can be done..._

He moved within her slowly, she surrounded him mind, body and soul, pulling him into her with everything she had, attaching herself to him as if she needed him to live, just as he needed her.

_Without me you got it all, so hold on... _

He only picked up the slow pace when she begged him to, he felt her tightening around him, but he still didn't let go, she begged, and moaned his name. It was when her nails sunk into his shoulders, and scraped down his back, he couldn't contain himself anymore, and he completely let himself go. She could hear her repeating his name, and "I love you" over and over into his ear. He said it back, once, but it was enough. She knew it, he knew it. It was all that mattered anymore. She was all that mattered anymore.

**See what reviews to for me? Get me in the mood for Logan lovin' LOL **

**Seriously though. Thank you everyone. I appreciate it. **

**The song lyrics in italics is Rob Pattinson's Never Think. It's beautiful. And by request from Teresa :D love you my dear! **

**More reviews mean a faster update! (also possibly more rogue, gambit, Colossus, nightcrawler No I haven't forgotten him) **


	18. The Cure is taken

**A/N I just got out of Wolverine Origins... and I want to say this about the movie.. **

**Ahem... **

**SQUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!**

**God it was good! And I saw Logan rear! MmmmmmHmmmmmm that's right, hugh Jackman's butt. I Enjoyed it thoroughly too!**

**Inspiration... purely the movie lol not listening to music right now. **

**Chapter 17: The Cure is taken**

_Deathsrtike_

She was out of commission for two weeks before mutants started piling back into Erik's headquarters. She knew that Erik was out there, and it was only a matter of time until he was back. She kept the dwelling in prime condition, but it was the first mutant that returned that startled her.

She sat in the living quarters, watching the tv, cracking her knuckles watching the fiftieth broadcast about the Alcatraz island battle, her long dark hair left down around her shoulders when the door burst open.

True to her colors, Mystique strode in to the living area, back in her form. Apparently, the cure wasn't forever. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked, her voice distorted as it always was in her current form.

"Waiting for Erik, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Yuriko looked the blue mutant up and down before glaring at her.

The older woman threw her head back, laughing voraciously. "You think he's coming back for _you_?"

Yuriko leaned back further into the chair, she knew exactly what Mystique was doing, it was one of her tactics, find the opponent's weakness, exploit it as much as possible. She was taught that by Stryker. The thought of that man sickened her, turned her stomach, and her frown intensified. "He's at least coming back for the house. It is his."

Mystique quirked her left eyebrow up before moving down the long hall. "That's just fine. But let it be known, Deathstrike, was it? You're not the only woman in Erik's 'harem'." She lifted her nimble blue fingers and accentuated her last word by putting air quotes around it.

Yuriko glared after her, but turned back to the TV, watching as Logan was shown on the screen fighting, his claws extended, last she had known, they were bone. _When did that happen? _ She remembered seeing his claws descend at the military base, felt them puncturing her skin. Her eyes closed as she focused on the memory of Logan in her mind. She had known him as he was when he was in Japan during the second world war. While he was there fighting, she was his release. They had an interlude, but he left, ever since she had been wanting him back. With her healing abilities the same as his, she aged just as slowly as he did.

She remembered wanting him back, looking everywhere for him, the government, the military. And then Colonel William Stryker approached her. Told her that he could help her find Logan, she just needed to participate in a little experiment first. He lied through his teeth. When they grafted the adamantium onto her skeleton, it hurt like hell. She passed out, flat lines, just as Logan had she was told. But they did one thing to her that she wasn't aware of. Down the length of her hand, they'd placed five sharp claws. The first time they'd extended, it hurt like hell. Right through her finger nails, which the tips had replaced the nails that had once been there. Thankfully she healed quickly, so the damage done to her body was quickly fixed. But the damage done to her soul was irreparable. Though by then, even if she really wanted out of what she had signed up for, she wasn't sure she would have taken it. And Jason Stryker's secretions only held her where she was even tighter then William could have hoped. She hated the prison, but she couldn't fight against it and win. He'd slipped only twice in giving her the daily dose. It lasted thirty seconds at most. Each time she felt disoriented, she hated that feeling.

_Logan, I will have you back. Cassandra is nothing compared to me. She will grow old, she will die, I... I will remain. I will out live you. I will have you. _

_Rogue_

_Xavier Mansion_

"Bobby, you know nothing about what Ah'm going through!" She shouted back at him. It was the last time he was going to take advantage of their situation. It had been too much. They couldn't touch, they could only share the briefest of kisses, and it was infuriating. That and she couldn't take Kitty throwing herself at him anymore. Bobby seemed to only want to stay with her as long as he could, perhaps to have the best of both worlds. Her melancholy aura, and Kitty's peppy attitude, her ability to touch him...

"You can't touch me, I get it, Rogue! What more do you want from me?" He shouted at her as he chased after her from the kitchen.

She spun, stopping right in front of him, gaining a half satisfaction when he almost fell on his ass to keep from colliding with her. "Ah want cha to be with me. No matter what. Not wanting more then what you can have from me and be happy with it!"

He stared down at her in disbelief. "You.. you don't think that I'm happy with you?"

"Bobby..." She took a deep breath, and shook her head. "Ah know ya're not. Ya don't have to tell me. Ya keep pushin', and PUSHIN', and just ah can't! Ya don't get it! Ya want Kitty. Ya want someone ya can touch, hold hands with, and that ain't me."

"Rogue, that's not true!" His hands reached out for her, to pull her into him, and she took a step back shaking her head.  
"No. it is." She looked meaningfully at his hands, and turned, putting as much distance between them as she possibly could. She knew what she was going to have to do, she just hoped that... She stopped in the doorway to her room as she saw Cassandra sitting on her bed, a saddened look in her eyes. "How the hell do ya'll know?"

She arched an eyebrow. "How do you think?"

Rogue grumbled something unintelligent under her breath, and moved to the closet, throwing a bag together. She ignored the stare she knew she was getting from Cassandra, and kept ignoring it until she zipped the bag closed, and grasped the handles, throwing on her green jacket. "What?" She asked finally look at the other woman.

"You're really going?" Cassandra asked, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Ah got to." She responded quickly, she really didn't want the guilty look, or the guilty conscience as she went into Worthington Labs. There was a branch in New York, she had been there once almost two months ago with Bobby.

"No you don't." She countered softly, her voice breaking.

"Ah do, Cass! Ya'll can touch Logan. Ya'll can have him touch ya, and it doesn't faze him! Ah touch him... or Bobby, or even ya'll... and Ah could kill ya. Ah couldn't live with that. No, Cass. Ah gotta go." She shrugged into the coat, and grabbed the bag, moving into the hallway. She hear Cassandra's footsteps behind her, and sighed. "Don't give me the lecture, Cass."

"I wasn't." the sadness in the woman's voice caused Rogue to stop and look back at her. "Just be careful, okay?"

Rogue nodded. "Ah will." She moved to turn again and head down the stairs when she saw Cass move toward her as she pulled the hood up on her sweat shirt, covering her head before she wrapped her arms around her, hugging her. It started her, but she dropped the bag, and wrapped her arms around Cassandra's shoulders. She hugged her tightly before pulling away, something that felt like regret creeped up inside of her. "Bye, Cass."

Cassandra nodded, sadness still in her eyes. "Bye." She followed after Rogue for a moment before settling onto the stairs as Rogue descended. She groaned as she saw Logan leaning against the front doors. "You gonna tell me to stay?"

He shook his head. "I'm not your father. I just hope you're going to do this for the right reasons. Not for some boy."

"Ah'm doin' this for me, Logan."

"I hope so, kid. You take care of yourself. You know you always have a home here." He smiled down at her softly, then moved away from the doors, making room for her to pass. She didn't need much encouragement, and she pushed through the front doors, heading for the train station.

_Gambit_

_Xavier's mansion_

He frowned as he heard the exchange between Logan and Rogue, and moved into the foyer, watching Logan step aside to let the girl leave. "Why'd you do that _mon ami_? You know she's goin' to take that 'cure'."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but it's her choice to make, not mine."

"They could kill her." He retorted, for someone that seemed to care about her, he wasn't showing it enough, and that irritated the hell out of him. "You just gonna throw her to the wolves like that?"

"It ain't throwing her to the wolves." His eyes moved toward the stairs where Gambit could hear soft sniffles.

He backed up to see Cassandra sitting on the top stair, her knees pulled up to her chest, a hood covering her head. "Ahh, _chéri_, why didn't you stop her?"

She shrugged, and looked up at him, tears streaked down her cheeks. "I couldn't. She would have left anyway."

"Are they goin' to kill her?" he asked, his red eyes moving back and forth between Logan and Cassandra.

She shrugged as Logan just stared up at her. "I don't know."

"If there's even a chance, do ya'll really think you should let her go?" He watched the girl closely as her green eyes glowed softly, then she smirked.

"You go after her." She said, a soft smile on her lips.

"Is that an order or what happens?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Both." She smiled down at him, resting her chin on her forearms as she crossed them over her knees.

He grinned. "Well then I guess it's time for Gambit to get movin', no?" he turned, not waiting for a real answer and raced to the garage where he took a car, hot wiring it, not bothering with keys. He peeled out of the garage, pushing the speed limits to Worthington Labs.

As he drove he let his mind wander back to Logan. When he'd first seen him in that club in New Orleans, he'd wanted to kill him, but Logan wasn't out for him, he wanted Victor Creed. A man he said was his brother. And of course once he got to the island, he got himself shot, and forgot everything. He'd even tried to jog his memory on the car ride to Cass' home town, and nothing, he'd gotten nothing. They'd met up with one another after that, problems with the guild, he'd hoped he could count on Logan for something, anything, and came up with nothing. He'd gotten his ass handed to him then, he had, of course gotten the lucky shots in, but nothing that would have let him win. Logan was indestructible, there was no getting around that.

Since he came to the mansion, he had spent a great deal of time with Rogue, he had grown fond of the girl, and hated that prick of a boyfriend she had for herself. Iceman was an idiot not to just live and let live. While yeah, he wanted to sample some of that southern belle charm Rogue exuded, he wouldn't push her the way Bobby did. At least, not as seriously as he did. He was full of surprises and he had to wonder if there wasn't something he could conjure up to allow he and the girl to touch.

But there she was, heading to Worthington labs, she was ready to throw away everything she was just to feel 'normal' but what exactly was normal anyhow? It didn't make one bit of sense to him, but then again, not a lot did in this world. As he neared New York City, he slowed down on the car's gas pedal, he didn't need to be pulled over for speeding. He wished then that he'd thought to ask Cassandra to come with him. He found Worthington Labs without a problem, threw the car into park and grabbed his staff. He double checked his pockets for enough playing cards.

_Three decks, that oughtta be enough. _He thought to himself as he raced toward the building. He stashed his staff away, and pushed his way through the line waiting to get into the building, Rogue couldn't have been here this long. He turned, frowning as he looked back over the line waiting, no... she wasn't there.

He turned to a female, and turned on the Cajun charm. "'Scuse me _cheri_, Ah was hopin' you could tell me... just how long have you been waitin'?"

The girl blushed up at him, then checked her watch. "Uh... uh.... th... three hours." She stammered.

He frowned, and looked toward the building. There was no way... He looked back to the girl, and smiled. "_Merci, mon cher_." He speaks to her before he turned and ran into the building. Something was not right, not even close.

_Rogue_

_Worthington labs_

She knew what she was doing, and she wasn't going to let anyone tell her any different. She had been greeted in the line by one of the doctors. He had told her that she had entered the wrong line, he could spot a mutant by then without hesitation. He asked her abilities, and made sure she wanted the cure before pulling her forward into the building. She set her bag down in the medical room they led her to, removed her jacket, and pushed her sleeve up just above the elbow like she was instructed. She laid her head back against the cushion of the chair, and took deep breaths to calm herself. Logan and Cassandra's words moved through her head, telling her to be careful, make sure she was doing this for the right reasons, and not for Bobby, and if she were truly honest with herself, then yes, she possibly was doing it a smidgen for him. If only to be able to experience everything the way a young woman should be able to experience things.

She winced slightly as the needle pierced her skin, and took another deep breath. "Is this going to hurt?" She asked before the nurse pushed the plunger on the syringe down.

"It may be slightly jarring. Though your mutation isn't in anyway physical, it may sting as the cure enters your blood stream." The nurses' soft voice came to her then she felt a slight tingling warm sensation moving up her arm. The warmth spread through her body, and suddenly burned as the blood it was effecting shot through her heart, and back out again.

Rogue cried out softly at first trying to keep still as the nurse pressed gauze and tape to her arm over the puncture. But as soon as the latex gloved hand was off of her, she screamed. She felt her body shaking, caught in a convulsion she couldn't stop. She vaguely heard explosions, the door was kicked in, she heard the nurse scream, then heard a thick Cajun voice in her ear.

"Ahh, _amoureux_, you jus' had ta go an do it dinn't ya?" He picked her up, and something hit her stomach.

Her entire being burned, she felt like everything was on fire within her, and then nothing. Her sight cleared, and she looked up to see a strong chin, auburn whiskers on said chin, long hair that matched the color of the small beard loose and flowing round his shoulders. "Gambit?"

He sighed, and glanced down at her. "That's mah name _mon chere_." He grinned down at her. "Think ya can run outta here on ya own?"

"Ah might." He let her feet drop, but he grabbed the bag that was resting on her stomach, and took her hand right hand, which was still gloved.

"Then let's get outta here, _Chere_."

She tugged her hand out of his, stopping. "What you think we need to run outta here for?"

He stopped, and turned back to her. "Rogue, I just blasted the hell outta the first two floors o' this buildin'. We wanna quick exit."

She groaned and started running once more catching up with him at the end of the hallway, the end opposite from the destroyed end of the hallway, she could only guess that was the direction he came from. They moved out of the back stairway, must have been an employee entrance, and exited out the back. He threw her jacket back at her, and she shrugged it on as she neared the car behind him. "This is Scott's car." she observed.

He grinned back at her. "Not like he's gonna be usin' it. He and Jean left a week ago. Get in, _Mon cheri_."

She sighed, and moved to the passenger seat, settling into it as he threw her bag into the back seat. "So what ya just gonna take me back to the mansion?"

He shrugged. "Thought you'd like a ride home, _petite_."

She sighed again, more agitated. "You did not, Cajun. Why don't cha tell me the real reason behind you comin'?"

He glanced over at her, and rose an eyebrow. "Who says that ain't the real reason?"

"Because you know damn well Ah left and why Ah left. You had to of known Ah didn't want to go back yet." She crossed her arms over her her chest, and pressed herself into the seat.

"Ahh, _Mon Ami_, Ah did know why you left, and lemme tell you, Ah don' like the thought that you let them put that crap into ya system." He looked back at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the road.

"Why not? It's not like Ah belong to ya or nuthin'." She said glaring at him.

"Not for lack of tryin' on my part, _petite_." He grinned.

Her glare only intensified. "Ah told you what would happen, you're really so eager for me to drain you?"

"Not anymore, _ch__é__ri._ Or did you forget?" He pulled the car over onto the shoulder of the highway they were on, and turned to her after parking. "You took the cure." His hand reached out but she pulled away out of instinct. "You won't hurt me, Rogue."

He followed after her as she pulled away again, then the back of his fingers touched her cheek. A form of an electric shock moved through her at his touch. She had to wonder if it had to do with his ability. She allowed her eyes to drift shut as he trailed his fingers down her cheek to her jaw line, then she felt his presence very close to her. Her eyes snapped open just in time to see his red irises disappear behind his eyelids, and felt his lips press to hers. She gasped, and stiffened, waiting for the convulsing, and gasp of shock from him, but even the long moment that he still rested his lips against hers, it never came. The shock, the drain, the memories, and thoughts, and charge of power never poured into her. She threw herself into his kiss then, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him into her, crushing her lips against hers. She pulled her right glove off of her hand, and dug her fingers into his hair, holding him to her. Her breath caught, and he felt so incredibly good against her, everything else left her brain completely. The first kiss she'd ever had where the receiver didn't end up in a coma. She threw herself into it, she lost herself in it.

God help her, the Cajun knew how to kiss. His tongue moved against her lips before she opened them, and allowed him entrance. He completely stole her breath. Timidly she brushed her own tongue against his, and moaned softly at the emotions that flooded through her. She moved restlessly against him, felt his hands in her hair, then move down her side, his fingers ducking under her shirt, brushing against her skin.

Abruptly, he broke the kiss panting against her lips. "_Mon cheri, _I think we should put a halt to this. At least for now. Though we can move this to the next exit, and hotel room."

Her eyes widened. "Gambit..."

"Remy to you, _mon cheri._" He said.

"Remy... Ah... Ah don't think..." She started, stammering. He robbed everything coherent from her thoughts, made want to do things she'd never considered possible before.

"Try the spice, _amoureux. _Don't be frightened."

She considered her options for a long moment, God knew what would happen if she slept with Remy. She and Bobby would be no longer. He wouldn't forgive her, but then again... she wasn't sure he really wanted her. What really would be the worst that could happen? If she could find out what she really had been missing out on?

"Remy?" She looked up into his red irises, slightly scared, but sure of what she wanted at the same time. "Give me the spice."

**a/n Sorry this chapter didn't have too much with logan and Cass, but I felt some of the other characters needed some screen time. If I get requests, i'll show the Remy/Rogue lovin'. But i'm planning on getting back to Deathstrike, Logan, and Cass in the next chapter :D **

**Reviews make this author very very happy :D **


	19. Human Touch

**A/n I am so sorry I haven't updated in forever, lost inspiration for anything at all. Not good. But I hope to be able write more in this to help get it moving forward so I can finish it finally!**

**Thank you to everyone that reviewed, and added me to their story alerts! Much love to you all!**

**Song inspiration for this chapter in order: **

**Paramore "My Heart"**

**And then just random songs from my player.**

**Chapter 18: Human Touch**

_Rogue_

_Hotel outside NYC. _

The hotel room was beautiful, and Rogue had to wonder how Remy could have afforded it, but she didn't ask. Though, she didn't have much time to take in the room, as just as the door shut, he wrapped her into a passionate embrace, his lips crashed down onto hers again, taking her breath away, and she had to wonder if this is how any of her 'victims' felt, as if their souls were being dragged out of their body, not able to breathe, but this... it was filled with so much goodness, happiness, passion, lust, there was no pain. Her arms wrapped around his neck, holding him against her, she tugged the fasten out of the ponytail that kept his hair neat, and threaded her fingers through the strands.

She felt his arms change their encircling of her body, and her knees buckled, then hung off of his arm as he pulled her closer against him. She felt him walking but didn't care much where it was as long as his lips stayed against hers. Something soft pressed against her back, and she felt what ever it was sink down as he followed her down onto it. His lips left hers and trailed down her cheek, to her neck, his teeth grazed her skin, his hand pushed at her jacket, and she jerked her arms out of it. His fingers moved to the hem of her shirt, and pushed it up softly, his hands moving across her skin caressing her.

Her hands moved from his hair to his shoulders, noticing then that she couldn't feel the thick fabric that was his jacket anymore, it was his tight black T-shirt, she wondered briefly when he had taken it off. Her hands roamed down his arms, feeling the cool muscles of his bicep, the corded tendons over muscle in his fore arms before they moved to his sides, pulling up on his shirt. She wasn't sure how or when it all happened, but soon after she jerked up on the hem of his shirt, he was pulling away from her momentarily, and she realized, her shirt was gone, as was her bra, and he was jerking her pants down her legs with one hand as he shakily pulled open the fly of his own pants. His red irises caught her attention again, and then all she knew was him, his intoxicating presence, his amazing skin, his lips everywhere on her body.

As he came to her, sinking deep within her she felt as though her entire body was on fire. Everything about him took completely over her senses, nothing but him and what he was doing to her mattered. Her legs wrapped around his trim waist, holding onto him as he moved, dear God she never wanted him to stop. Was this what she was missing out on with Cody? Was this what Bobby wanted to give her? Could either of them given her this array of emotions that flooded through her as she felt the strangest sensations coursing through her. She whispered his name half fearfully against his neck, and he chuckled as he trailed his tongue over the edge of her ear lobe, the sensations strengthened.

"Don't worry, _Cheri_, let it happen." Hearing his rugged Cajun accent only made it worse. She moaned low and loud as the sensations strengthened, she felt her entire body shaking

"Remy... Ah... Ah'm scared." She whispered, still fighting the intensity of what was happening to her.

"Don't be. Ah'm with you, _Cheri_, Ah will be as long as ya'll want me to be."

"Don't leave me." She demanded on a moan as she tilted her hips up against him as he thrust into her again.

"Never." He growled against her neck. He sighed against her skin, then spoke again. "Quit fightin'."

She did. And the explosion that happened with in her she would never forget. Not as long as she lived. It was the most incredible feeling she'd ever had, the most intense thing that had ever happened to her. She never wanted it to end, and thankfully, at least for a time, it didn't want to either.

Though finally as everything ebbed away from her, she felt Remy lean against her kissing her thoroughly. "_Cheri_ Ah knew you were passionate, but my God woman, Ah never dreamed it woulda been that good between us.

Rogue shook her head. "Ah never thought anything would be that good. Ah meant what Ah said, Remy. Don't ever leave me."

"Ah meant what Ah said too, _Mon chere. _Ah'm not goin' anywhere."

_Cassandra_

_Xavier Mansion_

She was pacing for the third time since Remy left to find Rogue and bring her back. She couldn't see anything either and that was more then enough to frustrate her to the point of snapping.

"Cass, honey, how long are ya going to pace like that?" Logan asked coming up from the morning Danger Room training program.

"Until I can see anything." She snapped back.

He smirked and leaned against the doorway. "Cass, you need to settle yourself down. You know trying to force it won't bring anything any quicker."

She stopped finally and glared at him. "That's not helping either."

His smirk grew. "Honey, do I have to make you calm down?" A lazy grin settled onto his lips.

She tilted her head almost as if she were considering his proposal. "Maybe later." She grinned back at him.

"Well I got a smile at least." He pulled away from the doorway, moving toward her when the front door opened, and he heard Bobby's angered voice raising. "Damn."

She frowned up at him. "What?"

"They're back."

Immediately she tore from the room, and down the stairs. But she stopped at the bottom once she saw a very new look on Rogue's face. It was all too familiar. "Rogue?" She asked moving forward.

Rogue smiled at her. "Hiya, Cass."

Slowly a vision formed in her mind, a hotel, the hotel room, the bed, and Remy and Rogue in a very passionate embrace.... "OH MY GOD!" She moved forward, her fist raised to punch Gambit in the face when constricting arms came around her, Logan was holding her back.

"You don't want to waste your time, Cass."

"BET ME!" She yelled back at him before turning her attention back to Remy. "I told you to go get her, not go SLEEP with her!"

"What?!" Bobby yelled at the two of them.

"Cass, honey..." Logan started.

"Shut up, Logan!" She yelled back, struggling against his arms. "He took advantage of the situation!"

She heard him hum, then his arms tightened around her, and the next thing she knew, she was being slung over his shoulder, and he was heading back up the stairs. She beat on his back, obviously not doing much good as he completely ignored her and dropped her on their bed. "What the _hell_ Logan?"

"Don't ever tell me to 'shut up'." His voice was dangerously low. "You are going to listen to me, and listen to me good. Rogue and Remy are consenting adults. Whether it may have been the wrong situation, it was Rogue's choice. Much like it was your choice to sleep with me the night of the battle against Jean. There is no call for you attacking him, and you damn well know it."

Cassandra's eyes widened as she heard the tone of his voice. Then she looked away from him as he scolded her, for lack of a better term, though it was exactly what it sounded like he was doing, asserting his age over her. "Logan?"

He eased his stance, back to how it'd been before they were interrupted. "Cass?"

"Am I your equal?" She asked.

He frowned. "Of course you are."

"Then what the hell was that?" She asked tilting her head.

"What the hell was what?"

"You 'scolding' me like I'm a child that ought to know better."

He sighed. "Cass, you better know by now how I work. But don't you ever tell me to shut up again."

She sighed, and crossed her arms across her chest. "Fine, but I still say it was wrong."

He smirked. "However wrong it was, you know it's not your choice, it's Rogue's."

She looked away from him. "Yeah..."

"You know what I think?" He asked stepping closer to her. "I think you're more upset that you didn't see it coming. After all, your powers have been off lately anyway. Especially your visions."

She rolled her eyes in a sort of agreement. "Yeah they have."

"You need to go relax, Cass."

"How am I supposed to relax?" She asked.

He shrugged. "Go do whatever women do, shop, get your nails done, contemplate world peace?"

She laughed out right then. "Contemplate world peace?"

"You heard me." He smirked.

She narrowed her eyes back at him, a look of complete disgust moving through her. "I'm not a beauty pagent contestant."

He laughed back at her. "Never said you were, sweetheart. But you need to get out. Take Kitty or Siren out with you. Have..." He wrinkled his nose for a moment. "'girl time'" he said air quoting as he moved across the room to her.

She smiled. "Okay. I'll go see a movie or something." she moved to him, closing the distance, wrapping her arms around his neck, sighing softly. "You know... I just think of Rogue as a little sister."

He chuckled against her neck. "I know. I don't like it anymore then you do, but..."

"it's her choice." She hated how dejected her voice sounded against his chest.

"Mm-hmm." He murmered against her shoulder, sending shivers running through her.

"Keep that up, and I'll be making my own choices."

He chuckled again. "What choices would those be, Cass, honey?"

She tilted her head back slightly looking over at the bed. "Gaining some satisfaction before the movie."

He growled into her ear. "I really..." He took a step back, backing her toward it. "Really... like that idea."

_Logan_

_three hours later, Danger Room._

He had Gambit pinned against the wall for the fourth time. After sending Cassandra off with Rogue, Kitty and Siren, he decided, he may not be Rogue's father, but he sure as hell could be the older I'll-kick-your-ass-if-you-hurt-her brother. He'd given Gambit he pre-ass kicking, and then, was just enjoying showing him what he'd have to look forward to if he ever hurt Rogue. He sneered slightly as he got into Gumbo's face again. "That's just a taste, bub. Any amount of physical or emotional pain comes to her on behalf of you, I will tear you limb from limb, then make you beg for a quicker death."

Gambit sighed dramatically. "Wolverine, honestly, Ah rather thought we could be past this."

He tightened his hold on the Cajun's neck. "I mean it, Gumbo."

Gambit chucked, and held his hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine. Ah get it. Not that Ah would ever think of harming her in anyway. Ah care for her."

Logan looked away as the Danger Room doors opened, Storm raced in, terror flowing off of her. "Storm?" He stepped away from Gambit, letting him fall back to the floor. "What's wrong?"

"Logan, it's Cass."

His heart stopped. No... no she was fine, just a little accident, nothing serious. "What about her?"

"Rogue said she went to the bathroom in the middle of the movie, she never came back."

He narrowed his eyes on the dark skinned woman. "What?" He felt his biceps twitch, heard, rather then felt the snap of his claws shooting out of his hand.

"She's missing, Logan."

He shook his head. "No."

_It is true, Logan._ Charles' voice came into his mind before he came into the Danger room. _"_I just came down to use Cerebro to try to find her. Be patient and let me find her."

"Chuck, you'd better find her, or I will tear New York and the surrounding area apart searching for her." He watched as Charles nodded, and moved down the hallway before her turned and sliced open a punching bag, it's contents spilling out onto the floor. He couldn't lose her. Not now. Not after everything they'd been through.

**Reviews are the life bread that keeps me wanting to write!**

**Psssst, if I get 95 reviews, I'll show what happened at the theater!!!**


	20. Ransom

**A/N: 9 more reviews, and I'll write what happened to Cass at the theater!**

**Song choices for this chapter. .... Pure randomness! Lots of Apocalyptica though!**

**Chapter 19: Ransom**

_Logan_

_Xavier Institute_

She had been missing for six hours. Six hours longer then she should have been gone. The last three hours, Xavier had been in Cerebro looking for her. He hadn't found anything, which did not give him any hope. He had taken up pacing between the staircases that flanked the front doors. He hated to pace, it wasn't something that anyone was used to seeing from him, and he'd gotten quite a few stares from the kids as they made their way to their classes. The entire team that was left in the mansion, Storm, Gambit, Shadowcat, Iceman, and Nightcrawler sat on the stairs watching him pace.

Nightcrawler tilted his head slightly as he watched him. "Wolverine, you do not believe dat she is dead, do you?"

He growled softly under his breath. "I can't."

Rogue stepped in front of him, holding cautioning un-gloved hands in front of her. "Logan, pacing ain't gonna help."

He glared down at her. "What sitting around waiting will? At least I'm doing something."

Rogue groaned softly. "Logan, you can't think of anyone that would take her?"

He stopped, and glared up at Gambit. "Alec."

Gambit frowned. "Wha, that gang leader?"

His claws snapped out of their holding in his forearm. "He's the only one that would." He turned and stopped as he heard Charles' voice in his head.

_Logan, it isn't the gang leader. There is a messenger coming up the drive with a letter for you. Don't kill him._ Charles' voice was hard and demanding.

Logan looked to the front door as a knock sounded. He retracted his claws back into his arm and jerked open the door, staring down at a small woman who's eyes opened wide in fear. "Uh... uh... A letter for uh... a ... uh.. Mr. L-l-logan?"

"That's me." he growled, and snatched the large envelope from her hands. And slammed the door.

The girl's voice sounded through the wood. "I need a signature!"

He ignored it and ripped open the envelope as Rogue opened the door signing for it. His eyes raked over the words neatly scrawled over the paper.

Logan,

You obviously care very much for the prophetess. It's too bad her feeble attempts at escaping has not worked. You want her back, I want you. I propose an even trade, you for her. Inside the envelope is a map, and a route lined out for you. Take it exactly, and I will allow her her freedom. Stray, or bring any of the X-men with you, I will kill her, she is nothing to me, and either way, I will have you. If you want her to live, follow the instructions carefully.

I look forward to seeing you again, Logan.

Yuriko

Logan growled at the paper, and crumpled it up in his hands before throwing it against the wall. He ripped the map out of the envelope at the pink highlighted route that took him from the institute and into the countryside of New York. Then turned, storming to the garage.

The team gave each other wary glances, then jumped to their feet, following after him. Nightcrawler was first to him, teleporting in front of him. "Wolverine, vat is it?"

"Outta the way." The glare in his eyes shrunk the blue mutant away from him.

"Logan you cannot believe anything that was in that note. It could be a trap, Vy not let zee professor look a bit longer?"

"Listen you blue monkey, this bitch that has Cassandra wants me, and only me, and right here," He held up the map in front of Nightcrawler's confused face. "is the way to find her. I'm going."

"Hold on there _mon ami_." Gambit's voice sounded behind him, and Logan couldn't help his eyes rolling heavenward. "Listen to the..." He stopped for a moment, a soft chuckle moving forward from his throat. "blue monkey."

"You think I'm going to risk Cassandra's life and sneak you all in somehow? Are you all insane?" His eyes settled on Rogue. "Especially you, you're powerless."

"Hey now, don't hold that against me. Ah can still fight!"

"What part about 'she wants me' don't you all get? One person is in enough danger because of me, I'll be damned if I let the rest of you put yourselves in danger as well." He turned heading for the bike Scott had left behind, which was all well and good anyway, there was only one way to start the damn thing anymore, one of his claws. When _her_ voice sounded in his mind.

_Logan. _Darkness surrounded his vision, and just like when she showed him her past, blackness surrounded him, and she walked out of the pitch, a sad smile on her lips. _I'm sorry. _ She shook her head. _But you can't. _

_I can't what? _God he'd never wanted to move forward, to hold her more then he did in that moment. He longed for her vanilla, cucumber and watermelon scent to envelop him, her calming presence to soothe his anger the way it always did. These things he would never admit to anyone other then her, and he knew she could clearly read it in his mind.

_You can't come to me. Logan... it's a trap. She, Deathstrike, has Magneto on her side..._

He shook his head. _No, he was injected with the cure. He has no power. _

_Yes, Logan, he does! _A vision was shoved into his head then, just about doubling him over seeing Magneto close up what looked like a jail cell around Cassandra with a wave of his hand. _You have to tell Rogue, she won't be able to touch Gambit for much longer, she needs to make the most of it now._

_You tell her yourself. _

_NO, LOGAN! _Her voice shrieked in his mind, her panic, fear, devastation translated clearly through the link they currently held with each other. _I'm going to save you. _

He shook his head, he knew exactly what she meant, he could see it playing out behind her, Her enticing Deathstrike's anger, the Asian woman's five claws slicing into her, tearing her to bits so he wouldn't have a reason to come. Then another possibility, he gets there, and then... he shook his head again, there was no way it could happen, it was fused onto his bones, that much he did remember.

_Yes, Deathstrike wants revenge for her father. He's the one that helped Stryker come up with the formula to create your adamantium. She blames you for his death, she took it to combat you. To match you in ability. She wants to take it back. That's what Magneto's for. They're going to kill you!_

_I can heal, Cassandra, I don't need the damn metal! Don't you get that, I need _you_! Don't you DARE piss her off. _

_But then you'll _die_! How can you ask me to keep living if they kill you? What? I get to live for the rest of my life greiving you?!_

_God damn it, Cassandra, stop being so stubborn! I live longer then you! I've lived longer then you already! Will you ask me to allow yourself to die, and me having that guilt on my shoulders for the rest of _my_ life? Don't you dare ask me to do that. _

_So one of us will die. _She said, matter of factly. _It's just a race to see who'll give their life first. _

The darkness quickly pulled away from his eyes, and the garage came back into focus, the team, including Xavier were around him then, staring at him, waiting for him to explain what had just happened to him. "I need Jean." he said simply, his eyes settled on Xavier, as if he were asking if it'd work, he knew the other man would have been able to hear the entire mental conversation.

Charles nodded slowly. "Stay here until we can contact her and Scott."

"Wait, what?" Shadowcat asked, frowning. "We can't come, but he can call in Jean? How the hell is that fair?"

"There are things you may not understand, Kitty, it's to save two lives instead of just one." Charles concentrated for a moment, then looked to Logan. "They're on their way, I gave them coordinates. If you leave now, you should arrive a few minutes before they do."

Logan barely registered Xavier's words as he hopped on the bike, slammed his claw into the starter, and roared out of the garage. _Hold on, Cass, honey, hold on damn it._

**A/N: I am SOOOO sorry for the long wait in my updating you all. It's been rather hectic here I'm pregnant with my third, so energy that I have is being spent on taking care of the house and kids. I really am trying to get this wrapped. There should be about .... 5 more chapters before this is done i'm guessing. **

**Remember, reviews make me want to get this out to you all quicker, I'll try my damnedest to get another chapter out soon. **


	21. Desperation

**Pre A/N: Ok I'm a UBER loser, and have seriously slacked in my writing. Unfortunately I haven't had much energy for it lately. I had my son, and I'm just starting to get energy back from that now 6 weeks later. **

**I was also hoping to get those 95 reviews, but I seem to have either lost readers or the chapter wasn't enticing enough?? Oh well. Anyway for my avid and desperate readers, here is the next chapter. **

**Song choices: E.S. Posthumus "Nara" (Cold case theme, among others) Saving Abel "Addicted", Shinedown "If you only knew" , and Lots more Apocalyptica**

**Chapter 19: Desperation**

_Cassandra _

_Seven hours previously. _

It was supposed to be a quick bathroom run. How fitting that it would be something entirely different. The movie had lulled into the predictable story line, Boy meets girl, Girl and boy hate each other, and now was the musical montage of them falling in love. Good time to slip out to pee. Only when she finished her business, there was a dark eyed Asian woman waiting just outside her stall. The fury in her eyes took Cassandra back, and she couldn't even fire off a decent bolt of electricity. The stall door flew out of the stall sending the stopper shooting across the room like a bullet out of a gun, the hard metal door slamming into her back throwing her to the floor. The sir left her lungs as she hit the cold tile, and spun her wide green eyes meeting Magneto's clear blue ones before she didn't remember anything else.

She dreamed of Logan. Something in the back of her mind was telling her that the moments she spent before she left the mansion would be the last with him. The vision of the cherub cheeked little girl calling him "daddy" was fading and fast. One or both of them was going to die. Images flashed through her mind of the woman, of Deathstrike and why she was so obsessed with Logan. The two of them were lovers long before she was even a glimmer in her mother's eye. Her father was a scientist, and helped the military man, William Stryker, form a revolutionary new metal. Of course it was the metal laced onto Logan's skeleton.

It was from Yuriko that she learnt much of Logan's past without even trying. He'd had a half brother, a monster of a man that became the mutant Sabertooth. Logan took the trial version of the Adamantium to fight back for the death of a woman he loved. He had long before left Yuriko, though it was not his choice to leave her. War. So many wars he had fought in. War had claimed him again, and when he returned to find Yuriko, she was gone. He moved on, figuring that Yuriko had grown tired of waiting for him. Silver Fox had given him the nickname, well, had been the driving force behind the nickname, "Wolverine" he had chosen before they'd injected him. When he'd run afterward, a branch of the American government had come looking for the experiment, for Logan. When Yuriko's father couldn't produce the success, he'd been killed for his knowledge. Stryker had been ordered to "clean up" the mess. Stryker had used more of the adamantium when he'd made Deathstrike. Yuriko was so furious with Logan for leaving she blamed him for everything. She was just as determined to fight him as Logan was determined to fight Sabertooth. An Adamantium bullet to the head had wiped Logan's memory. He couldn't remember anything of what Cassandra had recovered from Yuriko. The woman carried her without any precedent to cover her bare hands that gripped onto her bare arm. Skin to skin contact, fairly easy to rip every memory of the woman's past from her mind.

Unfortunately that wasn't the only images that plagued Cass. The plans for Logan, to take back the metal that Logan had stolen from her and her father. Magneto had recovered from his dose of the cure, it wasn't permanent. Magneto could control the metal, manipulate it the way he could every other metal. The gore that would remain of Logan showed her exactly what they planned to do. Rip it straight out of his body. There would be no way to survive something like that, and she knew it. It was a trap.

It was why she had reached out hours later with her mind when she saw Logan make the decision to follow the directions. He was such a stubborn ass. She had to beat him to it. If there was no reason to come for her, he wouldn't die. His life meant so much more to her then her own did. She didn't want to die. She wanted a long and happy life with him. She wanted the daughter she had seen. She wanted everything with him. There was absolutely no denying that. But she couldn't let him die, not when it was clear at least to her that Yuriko was lying through her teeth that she would let her go once Logan arrived. Both of them would die. Logan for Revenge... And she would be killed... if only for the thrill of seeing Logan beg before he died. To see him broken completely. Mind, body, and soul.

She couldn't let that happen. She held onto the hope that there would be a way out of the situation for both of them, but that hope was dwindling. Thirty minutes before Logan would arrive. Her eyes moved around the blank room they were containing her in. White walls, silver bars, no window. If it weren't for her tracking Logan, she wouldn't even know that it was light outside. It was light she knew would be the last for them.

She glared at her stomach, which protested with hunger. Hunger was something she hadn't even thought of. It didn't matter. Nothing really did. It had been ten hours since she'd eaten anything. The movie theater had seemed so far away as she remembered, she was supposed to bring back the popcorn. Her stomach protested again, and she resisted the urge to punch it. She smirked at the odd thought, wondering if it was something that Logan would have thought. Punch your own stomach because you were hungry and it kept reminding you of how hungry you were.

She laughed softly, and rested her head back against the cold bars, just waiting. When the door opened and the old man stepped into the room, expecting fear from her, she merely gave him a cursory glance. She rolled her eyes, and sighed as she got to her feet. The bars bent backward with a wave of Erik's hand, and she stepped through, compliant. Iron shackles clanked shut around her wrists, obviously something so Erik could drag her without using much physical strength.

Halfway to the barn where they were going to string her up, Erik finally spoke. "Such a waste."

"You don't have to do this you know. It's not like you to do favors is it, Magneto?" She returned, her voice soft.

"My part in this is purely of my own making, Not Deathstrike's." The implication that he were doing a favor to Yuriko seemed as if it were insulting to him. His voice had taken on a hard tone, his posture became more rigid.

"Then why? Your part is the only one I don't get." She focused on him, her eyes trying to bore through the metal helmet he wore on his head.

He chuckled, and turned slightly, his eyes finding hers, his gaze icy. "It's not for you to understand, my dear."

"Don't you think I have a right to understand _why_ I'm being killed? I understand Yuriko's fury. I get it. But for you? Why kill me? It seems to undermine your Homo-superior thought processes."

He stopped and turned, confusion moving into his gaze. "You really think that I am killing you for my own pleasure? No, my dear, I am not killing either you nor Logan for any sort of pleasure. I take no pleasure in killing any of my own kind. I feel you would be much better suited with the Brotherhood then dead."

She shook her head. "Then _WHY?!_" She hated the hysterical tone she knew was being conveyed by her voice, but she had to know. Why was Magneto agreeing to this? It wasn't like him. As much as she had learnt about him from Beast and Charles, she knew this was not something that Magneto would do.

"Do you think that I would allow your bodies to remain here?" A smirk played across his thin lips and he turned, her arms jerked up as he used his power to pull the shackles behind him, jarring her forward.

A million possibilities moved through her mind, and still she couldn't understand it. What would their bodies do to anyone? What use would they be to him dead? And then it hit her like a ton of bricks. "Propaganda."

"As I said, such a waste." His tone didn't confirm or deny.

Regardless she knew exactly what he planned to do. Allow Deathstrike to have her moment. Allow her to die, kill Logan by tearing the Adamantium from him, and hand it over to the woman. Then take their bodies, and use them to recruit more members. Whether it would be to say "See what thinking like Charles Xavier does to mutants?" or to create a large illusion that humans did that to them, it didn't matter, they were to be displayed, to gain more followers to Magneto's Brotherhood. Her mind swirled, the walls spun around her, all she could see was white as her stomach lurched. She felt her knees hit concrete, and yet she didn't stop moving. She tried to curl herself into a ball but her arms stayed up and out as she was dragged over the path. Her arms then jerked up and she heard another metallic clanking, she was being drug upright again, her arms stretched above her head, and yet she still couldn't see.

Her mind tried to shut itself down many times, but her powers allowed her to see into her friend's futures, watching the TV as she and Logan lay outside Worthington Labs, Logan's body mutilated beyond recognition. Her own body riddled with punctures that looked like gunshot wounds. The headline that scrolled beneath the picture read "The truth uncovered! What Worthington labs is really doing to mutants. Is there a cure?" Rogue and Kitty sobbed into Gambit and Bobby's shoulders, Ororo looked on in sadness, Beast hung his head in defeat. Charles was making plans to recover their bodies.

Then she heard _his_ voice. It wasn't in her mind, she heard with with her own ears, his anger filled voice echoing off the rafters of the barn.

"Let her go Yuriko, you want me, you got me. Let her down now!"

A light airy laugh vibrated through her senses, "What fun would it be to just let her go?"

Pain ripped through her shoulders as her weight was pulled as she felt her feet leave the ground. More slicing tearing pain in her right leg. Logan's voice yelling a denial, and then blades screeching against each other. The pain in her shoulders became more intense the longer she was suspended in the air. She wasn't certain how long she hung there, it could have been seconds or hours, but she tried desperately to separate herself from her body as she had so many years ago when this sort of pain was an everyday occurrence. She pulled on the vision of Logan with their daughter, and hung onto it tightly. That image was what she wanted to be her last. Of herself, happy, finally with Logan and their child. Her body jerked, but it was all she felt. Pressure on her leg, it could have been ripped from it's socket, and she never would have known.

She clung to the image but even her own powers wanted her to suffer in the end. The image faded, quickly as she heard Logan scream out in pain. Her sight returned to her in time to see Logan being lifted into the air, his Adamantium blades being ripped from his arms. Horror took hold of her, and she screamed then, twisting her body trying to free herself from the shackles that were keeping her suspended. Her voice wasn't her own as she screaming incoherently. She wanted Logan safe, she was supposed to die, and he was to remain. She wasn't supposed to see this with her waking eyes. She was supposed to have died by now. What had changed?

Yuriko looked on with a sick sort of glee written on her features as Logan's skin bulged out as the metal was trying to break through. That was when a red beam of light threw the barn doors open, and slammed into the Asian woman's chest, propelling her backward into a support beam. Flames moved through the door, then rushed Magneto, encompassing him, which took his concentration off of Logan. He dropped to the floor groaning, and she felt her feet hit the floor again. She was disoriented, it couldn't be, but it was, Scott and Jean had rescued them. It was something she hadn't foreseen, maybe something to do with the Phoenix that blocked her power. She felt strong hands take hold of her, hold her to a hard body, and her mind finally shut down.

**A/N: Ok, so whatcha think? The epilogue will be coming next, probably in a couple hours. I know how i'm going to end this. And it will be coming shortly :) **


	22. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_Cassandra and Logan_

_Xavier Mansion_

She never saw it coming. But there it was. The vision she'd had so many months ago was bright in her mind. She couldn't help turning as she looked at herself in the mirror. She wrinkled her nose as she looked over her bulging belly, running her hands over it, sucking in her stomach trying to make it smaller under the maternity shirt that floated delicately over her skin. As she turned back to the left, she revealed enough of the mirror to see Logan lounging in their doorway smirking at her. "Shut up."

He laughed as he moved into the room and over to her. "I didn't say a word."

"No, but what you wanted to say... just shut up." She regarded him for a moment, then pointed her index finger at him. "And don't you dare try to tell me this is attractive."

He stopped and rose an eyebrow tilting his head as he took her in. "Sorry, no can do."

She clicked her tongue and turned back to the mirror. "But the clothes are frilly. And pink. You know, with as much money that Charles has, you'd think that I could afford something better then this crap."

"You look fine." He wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head, sighing. She knew he was inhaling her scent, which he told her had changed slightly, and he was only sorry he hadn't realized it sooner.

That day he'd held her in the barn after Scott had blasted away the chain that held her above the floor, he'd realized something had changed. Before she had left to go to the movie, he knew something was off, but he hadn't counted on something like this happening to him. He'd realized it only seconds afterward, and then wouldn't let her leave the infirmary until Charles reassured him for the hundredth time that she and his baby were fine. And now five months later, he couldn't be happier. It was something that was fleeting, he knew it couldn't last, after all it was him and his dumbass luck. True happiness had never lasted with him. As far as he could remember, anyway.

Cassandra had told him when she regained consciousness that she knew some of his past, she knew how he'd gotten the Adamantium, and she could give him the answers he sought. She couldn't believe it when he'd told her to save it. She hadn't brought it up, and he hadn't asked since. She wondered if she really was enough for him, but when he looked at her the way that he was right then, she couldn't help but believe it.

The plain gold band with the small diamond glinted in the sun as it shone in through the window. The date was six months from then. It was too late to marry in enough time before her stomach started growing. And with her slight frame, it came far too quick. She'd had the baby bulge for the last two months, so she agreed to a summer wedding two months after the baby was born. It was plenty of time to get back into shape to fit into a decent wedding dress. It was unfortunate that Logan felt she belonged in the home now, and even afterward to protect the baby, but she was a fighter first and foremost, just as he was. If anything threatened their new family, well the baby had Grandpa Charles. And plenty of other family members to help protect the baby if they were needed to fight.

Magneto was still a threat, but thankfully, Deathstrike was not. She was placed solitary confinement jail much like the one Magneto had been in. Precautions were taken, she wouldn't be escaping anytime soon. Cassandra had seen that much.

Jean and Scott had only stuck around long enough to make sure that they were ok before taking off again. Jean was still learning the perfection of her Phoenix abilities, and didn't want to get in the way of her and Logan, though she was fairly certain that Logan had moved on completely, but guessed that Jean didn't want to take any chances.

Rogues' powers returned full force two months after the barn incident. Cassandra was doing everything she could to try to help her friend be able to touch Gambit, who had pulled a Logan and moved Rogue into his room without asking.

She was sure that there would be dangers ahead of them, many fights left in their lifetime, but for the time being, she was happy, for the first time in her life, truly happy, and she was basking in it.

**A/N: that's the end of Phoenix Rising. There are, and always will be more stories to tell, so who knows, maybe there'll be another story soon to start with them. I'd like to try my hand at Apocalypse. And I very well might. But for now, I've finally finished this story. Thank you to all the readers, and I welcome any reviews, and requests. **

**I will take on the challenge of anything untold that you would like to see. I will do 5 of them. Which will be posted after the epilogue here. if I feel it's been told enough I'll deny the request though. So make sure you get something good haha. **

**I also cannot guarantee the promptness that any requests may get, as I do now have three kids running around, and I'm suffering sleep deprivation, and family obligations and such. But if you don't see your request within a month, send me a little reminder :) **

**Look for stories that will come to me for between this story and Apocalypse to possibly be posted. I already know what the title will be, and it'll be comprised of one shots under the title "After the Rise" **


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